Harvesting Fennel Pollen and Flowers
- Gently cut the heads off the fennel plant.
- Tap them into a clean, dry container to release loose pollen.
- Then, let the heads air-dry and then rub the florets between your fingers to release more dried pollen. (You’ll also have to pick out tiny stems.)
How to use fennel in the kitchen and garden?
Using Fennel Fronds
- Roast the fish on a bed of fennel fronds, or chop the fennel leaves directly into fish soups.
- Snip raw leaves raw into salads or using them to flavor the cooking water when you prepare rice or beans.
- Add chopped fennel fronds to flavor coleslaw.
- Use fennel instead of basil to make pesto. ...
What is fennel, and how do I use it?
Let’s start at the bottom:
- Fennel roots are tuberous and can be peeled, diced and used as carrots when cooked. ...
- The bulb is the bulk of the plant, with its thick ribbed layered leaves, each producing a stalk. ...
- The stalk is quite fibrous, and to eat it directly, it must be cooked. ...
- Fennel fronds grow out of the stalks and look like beautiful, frilly, thread-like dill. ...
How to pickle and preserve fennel?
Method 3 Method 3 of 5: Blanching and Freezing Fennel Bulbs Download Article
- Separate the leaves from the bulbs. You can cut the leaves away or use your fingers to pull them off.
- Boil a large pot of water on high heat to blanch the bulbs. ...
- Remove the fennel with a spoon and dip it into a bowl of ice-cold water. ...
- Transfer the fennel from the ice water to paper towels. ...
- Place the fennel bulbs in storage containers and freeze them. ...
Can one eat too much fennel seed?
yes, excessive consumption of fennel seeds can cause constipation, painful menstruation, bronchitis, stomach aches and indigestion. Yes anything consumed in excess quantity is harmful for the body. They can cause side effects if you use too much.
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How do I harvest fennel pollen?
To harvest fennel pollen, snip several heads of blooming fennel into a clean paper bag, and place in a warm, dry place for at least a week. Give the bag a good shake, and gather the pollen and petals that accumulate in the bottom of the bag.
What is the difference between fennel and fennel pollen?
Both fennel pollen and fennel seed come from the fennel plant. The former is exactly what it sounds like, the seeds of the fennel plant, while fennel pollen is the pollen harvested from the tiny flowers of the plant.
What is fennel pollen good for?
But given its cost, we recommend saving fennel pollen to use as a finishing touch. Sprinkle a pinch over everything from vegetables to pork, fish, and grilled meats; add it to oil for dipping bread; and use it to garnish pasta and creamy soups.
Can you harvest fennel fronds?
Fennel leaves can be harvested as soon as the plant is well established. Only take a few leaves at a time to not cause harm to the plant. The bulb is ready for harvest once it reaches the size of a tennis ball. To harvest the bulb, cut the fronds from the base of the bulb.
Is fennel pollen stronger than fennel seed?
The potent spice is incredibly versatile. "Fennel pollen can be incorporated into almost any dish," says Aysegul Sanford, blogger and owner of the recipe site Foolproof Living, elaborating that its flavor is much more powerful than that of fennel seeds (a little goes a long way).
Does fennel pollen taste like fennel?
Fennel pollen is usually hand collected from wild fennel, which grows like mad in Italy and California (where it was planted by Italian immigrants), the two primary sources of fennel pollen. It doesn't taste like fennel seed or anise, so it truly adds a different flavor to food.
How does fennel pollen taste like?
But what does it taste like? Fennel pollen is complex, and that's what makes it so great. At first taste, it's reminiscent of the fennel seed: anisey and earthy. But then it transforms into a citrusy, sweet finish.
Can you be allergic to fennel pollen?
Allergy to fennel is linked to Celery-Mugwort-Spice Syndrome, which is a subtype of Pollen Food Allergy Syndrome. This syndrome affects individuals who have become sensitised to pollen and then have oral allergy type symptoms to foods with similarly shaped proteins.
What is wild fennel pollen?
Wild Fennel Pollen—hand-harvested from the tiny yellow-green fennel flowers growing in the Tuscan countryside just before the plants go to seed—is milder yet more fragrant than fennel seed, with an intoxicating, crisp aroma of fresh fennel fronds and subtle notes of licorice and anise.
Should you let fennel flower?
Fennel dies down naturally in autumn, then re-sprouts from the base in spring. If you leave the seeds to scatter, fennel will usually self-seed readily. So remove the seedheads or faded flowers if you don't want more plants.
What do you do with the tops of fennel?
You can mix chopped fennel fronds into pestos, salsas, stocks, curries, and vinaigrettes for an added hit of freshness. You can use them to top yogurt dips, eggs, stir-fries, toasts, and seared meats. And they're delicious when tossed into green salads or strewn on top of roasted vegetables.
What can you do with fennel stalks?
Fennel stalks can take the place of celery in soups and stews, and can be used as a "bed" for roasted chicken and meats. Use fennel fronds as a garnish, or chop them and use as you would other herbs, like dill or parsley. Oh, and one last thing—fennel and seafood go together like peas in a pod.
What is fennel pollen?
So what is fennel pollen? Fennel pollen is extracted from the same plant that brings you the bulb for your salad and the seeds for your spice rub. It's harvested from the tiny blossoms at the end of the stalk of the plant.
Is there a substitute for fennel pollen?
Substitute for Fennel pollen If you can't find fennel pollen then you can make a substitute by putting fennel seeds in a coffee grinder and grind to a fine powder.
What can I use instead of fennel pollen?
10 Best Fennel Pollen Substitutes You Should KnowGround Fennel Seeds (best choice) The best and also the most commonly preferred choice is ground fennel seeds. ... Anise Seeds. ... Fennel Fronds. ... Dill Seeds. ... Caraway Seeds. ... Cumin Seeds. ... Celery Seeds. ... Coriander.More items...•
Is fennel and fennel seed the same?
Fresh Fennel vs. Fresh fennel is used raw in salads and slaws or cooked in stews or served as a side dish. Fennel seeds (whole or ground) are used in sausages, Indian curries and spice mixes, Chinese five-spice powder, herbal teas, cookies, and more.
How to gather fennel pollen?
The easiest way is to gather lots of fennel flower clusters and put them in a paper bag, tying the bag closed and the stalks together.
What do you use fennel pollen for?
How do you use the pollen? All sorts of ways, really. I've made an Italian olive oil cake with fennel pollen, used the pollen in soups and sauces, dusted it on meat and fish, and put it in a Greek fennel cookie I call Bacchus Biscuits.
What to add to fennel salad?
After the meat cools, you shred it by hand and add to it chopped fennel bulb, a little hot chile, mint—and some fennel pollen and green fennel seeds. It's a wonderful salad, and it is definitely a fennel explosion. If you don't like anise flavor, skip this one.
Why is fennel pollen so cheap?
It is easy to gather, but because each flower yields so little pollen, it can take an hour of gathering to collect an ounce. You'll also get all sorts of creepy crawlies in the pollen, which need to be evicted before you can store it.
How much pollen does a fennel flower have?
It's not easy to collect a lot of fennel pollen, no matter which method you use. Each flower head will only have about a quarter teaspoon of it at the most. The photo to the left shows what you get from one good flower head.
Does microwave kill fennel?
A few seconds in the microwave kills anything too small to see. All this work is worth it. Not only is fennel pollen beautiful to look at, it has a beguiling anise flavor that is unlike that of the rest of the plant. The pollen tastes warmer and rounder than either the seeds or the bulb.
Can fennel be grown all year?
It's a weed. A delicious, anise-flavored weed. Fennel bulbs can be grown all year long here, and if you let the plant get established, it will become a perennial in your garden;
When to collect Florence Fennel?
9 Collect Florence fennel in late summer and early autumn.
How to harvest fennel seeds?
Wait until your fennel umbels turn brown. Then, cut the entire cluster off your fennel plant. The seeds form inside the flower heads, which is how you’ll harvest them.
How long does fennel stay fresh?
Compared to other herbs, fennel stalks don’t stay fresh long. For short-term storage, place the stalks in a loose plastic bag. Try to use them within 4 days, so the fennel tastes as fresh as possible. [9]
How long can you keep fennel stalks in the fridge?
4 Refrigerate the fennel stalks for 3-4 days.
How long does it take for fennel to harvest?
Fennel stalks are ready to harvest about 5-7 months after seeding. Harvest these stalks with a pair of scissors or hand pruners, or a sharp knife.
How to store fennel bulbs?
Store your Florence fennel in a plastic bag. Don’t wash or rinse it; instead, leave it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use the bulb. Generally, bulb fennel stays fresh for at least a week.
Can you freeze fennel?
Rinse off the herb fennel fronds and stalks with cool water, and then slide them into a freezer-safe bag. Since there’s no official freezer recommendation for this plant, play it safe and freeze your fennel for 4-6 months.
How to get pollen out of fennel?
When you see your fennel flowers turning heavy and yellow with pollen, cut some heads off. Tap them into a clean, dry container to release loose pollen. Then, let the heads air-dry and then rub the florets between your fingers to release more dried pollen. (You’ll also have to pick out tiny stems.)
How to keep fennel plants from going to seed?
If you want to keep your fennel plant producing more leaves, you may want to pinch off the top and center of the plant to stop it from going to seed. But since fennel seed is the most popular and versatile recipe ingredient, you’ll want to let at least some of your fennel plants set seed.
How long does fennel last after drying?
Fedco Seeds recommends drying whole leaves to keep the flavor profile intact. This process preserves their flavor for at least a year.
How long can fennel be kept in the refrigerator?
Fresh fennel fronds and stems will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator, loosely wrapped in a plastic bag. )
What is fennel used for?
Fennel fronds, pollen, and seeds are all used in cooking, though the seed is the most widely used. Harvest and storage procedures for each part are different.
Is fennel good for cooking?
Besides being ornamental and attractive to butterflies, fennel offers many different usable parts for cooking. Decide whether you’re managing any given plant for frond production or flowers.
Is fennel a perennial?
Herb fennel’s anise flavor and digestion-soothing properties make it useful in a variety of foods and drinks. It can be expensive to buy, but it’s fairly easy to grow, as described in growing perennial fennel.
Where does fennel pollen come from?
Fennel pollen is usually hand collected from wild fennel, which grows like mad in Italy and California (where it was planted by Italian immigrants), the two primary sources of fennel pollen. It doesn’t taste like fennel seed or anise, so it truly adds a different flavor to food.
Where is Pollen Ranch located?
I met the nice folks who run Pollen Ranch when I spoke at the Fancy Food Show last January. Based in Lemon Cove, California (don’t you love that name?), they are one of only a few domestic companies harvesting and selling fennel pollen that I know of. In addition to their pure fennel pollen, they also offer a variety of mixes intended for specific foods, like Hog Heaven for Pork, and Are You Game for beef, lamb, and game.
What to do with fennel pollen?
But given its cost, we recommend saving fennel pollen to use as a finishing touch. Sprinkle a pinch over everything from vegetables to pork, fish, and grilled meats; add it to oil for dipping bread; and use it to garnish pasta and creamy soups.
How much is fennel pollen worth?
Is the hype worth the price tag? Long harvested by hand from wild fennel plants by cooks in northern Italy (and more recently by cooks in California, where the plant also grows wild in abundance), fennel pollen is increasingly prized by chefs worldwide and sold by boutique spice vendors for as much as $20 per ounce.
So what is fennel pollen?
Fennel pollen is extracted from the same plant that brings you the bulb for your salad and the seeds for your spice rub. It’s harvested from the tiny blossoms at the end of the stalk of the plant. It’s native to the Mediterranean, but in the States you’ll often find fennel pollen that comes from California.
But what does it taste like?
Fennel pollen is complex, and that’s what makes it so great. At first taste, it’s reminiscent of the fennel seed: anisey and earthy. But then it transforms into a citrusy, sweet finish. This duality is what makes it so appealing—familiar yet totally new and what can transform a ho-hum plate of veggies or piece of fish to a memorable meal.
How do you put it to use?
Admittedly, I’m a little unconventional and use it in savory and sweet dishes alike. Fennel pollen is great in just about everything, and I’ve been known to be a bit reckless with what is a pretty expensive ingredient.
