Last Updated on June 30, 2022 by Share My Kitchen
There are a variety of recipes that include this fermented fennel. It is deliciously crisp and tangy, as any good ferment should be. Remember to keep tasting it during the fermentation process. Then, once it reaches the desired level of sourness, place it in the refrigerator. You can also use the fermentation liquid from the fennel to make fennel sausage ragu. Therefore, don’t throw it away after you’ve finished eating all of the fennel.
Fermented Fennel Recipe
Ingredients
- 2kg fennel
- 8g of fennel seeds
- 3g of coriander seeds
- 1g of dried chili
- 2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
- 200ml of white wine
- 2 slices of lemon peel, pith removed
- 2 bay leaves, cut into 4 pieces
- 2l filtered water
- salt
- pomace oil (1)
Method
- Start by weighing the 3-liter jar, and note down the weight. Then, trim the top off the fennel, remove the outer layers, and put the trimmings through a juicer. You should have 100-150ml liquid left after.
- In a hot, dry pan toast the seeds and chili. After 2 minutes, drizzle some pomace oil on the pan, and reduce the heat to medium. Then, add the garlic, and cook until it is golden. Add the white wine. Let it boil, and add the bay leaves and lemon zest. Finally, let it cool down.
- Next, add the fennel juice and the cooled wine mixture to the jar. Each fennel bulb should be cut into six pieces. Then, place them in the same jar, and top it with the filtered water, until fully submerged.
- Weigh the jar once more, and subtract the original weight of the empty jar. Divide the weight you get by 100, then multiply it by 3 to get the amount of salt required (3%). Next, add the salt, put the lid on the jar, shake it well, and pour in the pomace oil. This creates a layer so no air can get in.
- Lastly, seal the jar with a lid, and let it ferment for 2 weeks to 1 month. The length of fermentation will depend on the temperature and humidity in the storage area.