Warm Potato Salad with Fennel and Garlic Mayonnaise

-Chop 1.5# of unpeeled potatoes into 1 inch chunks.  

-Dice up 1 fennel bulb.  

-Boil the potatoes and fennel together in salted water for about 5-7 minutes until just barely tender. It is important to watch potatoes closely as the secret to a good potato salad is firm potatoes.

-Toss potatoes and fennel with garlic mayonnaise (below) while still warm. 

-Sprinkle with some chopped basil or parsley and taste for salt.    

For the garlic mayonnaise:  

-In a blender chop 2-4 cloves of  garlic with some salt until smooth.

-Add a whole egg, a pinch of salt and ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil into the blender and blend on high.

-Add another ½ cup olive oil in a light steady stream until all is incorporated.

-Then add 3 TBS fresh lemon juice.

-Stir the garlic into the mayonnaise and thin with more lemon juice if necessary.

Warm Lentil Salad with Goat Cheese

-Bring 10 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan.

-Wash and sort 1 cup green lentils.

-Add lentils, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain.

-Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat until hot but not smoking.

-Chop up the following into small dice.

1 fennel bulb

2 carrots

4-5 green onions

The stems from 1 bunch of rainbow chard

-Add the diced vegetables to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, about 10 minutes.

-Chop up some basil, dill or parsley, about 4 TBS in all.

-Roll the leaves from the rainbow chard bunch up and cut them into small slivers.

-Stir in the following:

2 TBS balsamic or sherry vinegar

1 TBS olive oil

The chopped herbs and rainbow chard

-Transfer to a large bowl.

-Drain lentils and add to bowl with vegetables.

-Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper.

-Crumble 4 ounces fresh goat chevre into bowl and toss gently to combine.

The Best Fennel Dish Ever, AKA Caramelized Fennel with Honey, Lemon Zest and Chevre

-Cut the fronds and bottom off of 2 bulbs of fennel.

-Stand them on end and slice each bulb into very thin slices the long way.

-Heat 2 TBS of butter in a cast iron skillet, then put the fennel slices in a single layer into the pan.

-If there isn’t enough room, use 2 pans or make 2 batches.

-Brown the fennel about 5 minutes per side over medium heat.

-Don’t turn them until they are very brown on one side.

-After you finish browning the fennel, put it in a bowl.

-Add 2 TBS of honey and 1-2 TBS sherry to the pan and deglaze the pan for 2 minutes stirring often.

-Pour the honey syrup over the fennel.

-Press 1 clove of fresh garlic, then add it to the fennel with a pinch of salt and gently toss.

-Spread the fennel out in a single layer on a large serving plate.

-Zest most of one lemon over top of the fennel.

-Crumble about ¼ cup of chevre cheese over top of the fennel.

Sweet Corn, Cucumber, Fennel and Arugula Salad with Blue Cheese and Toasted Walnuts

-Cut 1 cucumber in half the long way and scoop out the seeds with a teaspoon.  

-Cut the cucumber into half moon shape pieces.

-Take the kernels off of 2 ears of sweet corn.

-Cut 1 fennel bulb in half the long way and then cut each half the short way into very thin half moon shape pieces.  

-Chop up a handful of basil leaves.  

-Cut ½ pint of Sungold cherry tomatoes in half or chop 2 slicing tomatoes into large chunks.

-Wash and spin dry 1 bunch of arugula.  

-Put the arugula in a bowl and top with the cucumbers, corn, fennel, tomatoes and basil.

-Lightly toast ¼ cup raw walnut pieces.

-Toss the salad with 3 TBS olive oil and some salt and pepper.  

-Then add 2 TBS red wine or Balsamic vinegar and toss again.  

-Sprinkle on the nuts and add ¼ cup crumbled Blue Cheese.

Roasted Potatoes, Fennel and Watermelon Radishes with Lemon Brown Butter Sauce

-Heat the oven to 450°F.

-Cut 1 pound of potatoes in quarters lengthwise, then in eights.

-Toss with 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil in a large bowl and a generous pinch of sea salt and pepper.

-Spread the potatoes on a large baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes or until barely tender.

-Meanwhile, trim the tops and bottoms of the radishes, and quarter them lengthwise.

-Peel 1 watermelon radish.

-Cut into slices, then large matchsticks.

-Trim off the top and bottom of 1 fennel bulb and slice in half lengthwise, then quarter each half and cut the quarters into pieces about 1-inch-wide.

-Toss the fennel pieces and radishes in the bowl with another TBS of olive oil and salt and pepper.

-When the potatoes are just beginning to get tender, spread the radishes and fennel on the baking sheet and toss to combine.

-Return the vegetables to the oven and roast for an additional 10 to 15 minutes or until the fennel and radishes are tender and juicy but not yet soft.

-While they are roasting, heat ¼ cup unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat for 4 to 6 minutes or until it melts and then browns.

-Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the following:

½  lemon juiced, about 1½ TBS

½ tsp Dijon mustard

½ tsp maple syrup

-When the vegetables are done, toss with the sauce and spread on a platter or in a bowl.

-Serve immediately.

Indian Spiced Fennel Pickles

-Chop up 1 fennel bulb into 1/8 inch slices.

-Put the fennel slices in a 1-quart canning jar.

-Add the following to a medium sized saucepan:

A ½-inch piece ginger, peeled, thinly sliced

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

½ cup white vinegar

1 tsp kosher or sea salt

2 TBS granulated sugar

2 TBS light brown sugar

2 tsp yellow mustard seeds

½ tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

¼ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 star anise pod

1 cup of water

-Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve salt and sugar.

-Pour hot brine into jar and cover.

-Let cool, then chill.

-Store in the fridge for up to 2 months.