Braised Fennel

Ingredients

2 large heads of fennel, roughly chopped, fennel tops reserved
1 tbsp fennel seeds
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
20 g butter
splash olive oil
1/2 glass white wine
100 ml milk

Method

Sauté the fennel, fennel seeds and garlic in the butter and olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and then add the wine. Simmer very gently, covered with a lid, for 15 minutes until the fennel is nearly tender. Pour in the milk and continue to gently simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and the fennel is creamy and soft. Keep the fennel warm while cooking the remainder of the meal!

And a sauce to accompany white fish…

Ingredients
5 anchovy fillets, whole
handful toasted pine nuts
1/2 dried red chilli
5 segments lemons, skin removed
2 fennel tops, finely chopped

Method
fry anchovies in a little olive oil and add a handful of toasted pine nuts. In a separate bowl put the chilli, lemon segments, fennel tops and season with salt and pepper. Toss in the cooled anchovy and pine nut mixture and combine well together. Set aside.