Cream-braised fennel

I was inspired by a post on the Kitchn blog to buy and cook fennel for the first time. I've used fennel seed before, but never the bulb (is that what the bottom part is called?). It turned out really tasty. The strong nature of the plant receded with cooking, leaving a very warm and earthy flavor. The link above has the full recipe, but here's the quick visual run-through.

But first, I want point out how pretty it is in cross-section.


Trim and quarter the bulbs and brown both cut sides in butter and olive oil.


Add some water, put on the lid, and cook slowly for something like 20 minutes.


At the end, add some heavy cream and simmer until it thickens, at which point, I squeezed half a lemon into the skillet and mixed it gently.


...and enjoy!

I like this last picture. The little whisp of steam trailing off the back edge seems to have directed itself into Bethany's nose.