Raw and cooked or sweet and salty, fennels are excellent in all seasons, because in all seasons they sow and gather. Detoxifying, digestive and diuretic, rich in vitamin C and minerals such as iron, potassium and magnesium: how do you not love this vegetable?

There are endless purifying and detoxifying recipes based on vegetables such as fennel. If you sign up for one of our courses at the school you will learn them one by one!

How to choose the best fennel

To taste sweet and crunchy fennel, remember to choose freshly picked young vegetables, with the outer surface with few ribs and the color of a brilliant white. At the time of purchase also take care that the needle-like leaves are bright green, the shutters firm and well closed, without bruises, stains or dry parts. Once you are home with your fennel, here's how to clean them in the best way.

How to clean fennels

Proceed in this way to clean them: you must eliminate the base, the green stems and the thin barbins of the green tails with a clean cut, helping you with a knife. Then remove the outer sheath and thicker and wash them well under the jet of water to remove earth debris.

If you eat it raw like salad or carpaccio, it's better to be really fresh. Otherwise there is a trick to give it back life: dip it half an hour in very cold water, then if the recipe requires it, cut it very thin into slices or slices. In all other cases it is better to have a first partial steaming in boiling water with a drop of lemon so that it does not blacken. And then?

How to combine fennel with other foods

The sweet taste and the taste of fennel can enhance a fatty meat, as well as trivialize the most delicate fish: therefore it is not so simple to combine it in the best way. Plus fennels they change a lot from one time to another and from one region to another because the anitol is the aromatic molecule that runs through the tissues from the sweet to the wild, continually diversifying these vegetables. With the same recipes you can then have dishes with very different flavors, from the classic velvety to infusions and sorbets. But do not worry, because every time and every taste of fennel will reveal its why.

Text by Giulia Ubaldi