Fennel. Such an awesome, hard-working herb. I used to think it was a vegetable, but it’s actually a perennial herb related to parsley, carrots and dill. It has a lovely aromatic, licorice-y, anise-y flavor. It’s something I love to eat but rarely buy at the market, which is crazy/ridiculous given what a nutritional powerhouse it is (great source of fiber, vitamin C, folate, potassium, manganese, calcium, iron and magnesium).
The stock boy at the market was piling up a fresh, high mound of these babies and when the fragrance hit my nostrils, this Must.Have.Fennel. spell came over me. I usually like it chilled in a salad, but we have plenty of “chilly” going on outside here in Chicago, so cooked fennel was the order of the day. I quickly glanced around to see what else was in the produce aisle that would go with it, and this kale-cabbage combo is what I came up with. I used Tuscan (lacinato or dinosaur) kale, as it’s much more tender and has a subtle flavor compared to curly kale. I also toasted up some sliced almonds and anise seeds for a crunchy garnish and tossed some fennel fronds on top because – why not? Beautiful. Savory. Yum!
Ingredients (serves 4 – 6)
1 medium fennel bulb (thinly sliced)
1 medium onion (thinly sliced)
1 bunch Tuscan kale (ribs removed and thinly sliced)
1/2 red cabbage (core removed and thinly sliced)
1 quart low-sodium vegetable broth
3 cups water
1 large garlic clove (thinly sliced)
3 – 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon herb de provence
salt to taste (1 – 2 teaspoons)
Garnishes
sliced almonds – toasted (about 1 tablespoon per serving)
anise seeds – toasted (about 1/4 teaspoon per serving)
fennel fronds
Directions
- In a large soup pot, saute the fennel, onion and garlic in the olive oil for about 7 – 10 minutes.
- Add the vegetable broth and water and bring to a boil. Then add the herb de provence, cover, reduce heat to simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
- While the soup is cooking, heat up a non-stick skillet over high heat. Then reduce heat to medium-low and add in the sliced almonds in a thin layer. Stir gently, but constantly, for 3 – 5 minutes until almonds turn a deep, golden brown. Transfer to a plate to cool. Then place anise seeds in the heated skillet and toast for 1 – 2 minutes. This makes them crisp and provide a burst of flavor in the soup.
- Stir in the cabbage and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Turn off the heat and add in the kale. Using a spoon, push the kale down into the liquid so it is totally submerged. Cover and let stand for 1 – 2 minutes until kale wilts but is still bright green.
- Add garnishes and serve hot immediately.
Michelle says
Fennel and anise? Sounds delicious!
Amy says
That anise-y flavor in fennel is what I love about it, so why not garnish it with toasted anise seed to boost that deliciousness? Thanks for stopping by, Michelle!