Braising transforms stalk vegetables like fennel and celery into luscious, meltingly tender side dishes. Here, brown butter and a bit of orange juice and zest add a deeply earthy flavor and bright acidity. For more, check out our Shaved Fennel and Pistachio Salad, Braised Pork Chops and Fennel, and Herbed Beets with Fennel.
- Yield: 4 servings
- Difficulty: Easy
- Total: 35 mins
- Active: 20 mins
Ingredients (6)
- 2 large or 4 small fennel bulbs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
- 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange
And see our Ultimate Guide to Fennel for info on its health benefits and history.
Instructions
- Trim the fennel bulbs, reserving some of the fronds as garnish. Cut the fennel bulbs lengthwise into thick wedges. Sprinkle the fennel wedges with salt.
- In a large frying pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Let the butter cook for a minute or so until it starts to brown. Place the fennel cut-side-down in the pan in a single layer. Let cook, without moving, until browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Turn and brown the other side, about 3 minutes.
- Add the stock and orange juice to the pan, and sprinkle the fennel wedges with orange zest. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until the fennel is tender, about 5 minutes. Serve, garnished with a sprinkling of the reserved fronds.