How to chop fennel and recipes

Fennel and orange quinoa salad by Shaun Rankin

Shaun Rankin's vibrant quinoa salad recipe is bursting with Middle Eastern flavours, with sesame, pomegranate and saffron adding another dimension to the nutty flavour of the grain. Cooking the fennel in a water bath with a little orange juice provides wonderful, tender texture as well as infusing the bulb with a zesty hit of citrus.

Shaun Rankin's vibrant quinoa salad recipe is bursting with Middle Eastern flavours

Quinoa salad

100g of quinoa
​500ml of vegetable stock
2 tbsp of pomegranate seeds
1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted
2 tsp fresh coriander, finely chopped
3 tbsp of extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp of lemon vinegar
salt
freshly ground black pepper

Fennel

1 fennel bulb, cut into eighths
​50ml of orange juice
1 pinch of saffron

Tahini dressing

1 tbsp of tahini
​20ml of lemon juice
​50ml of olive oil

To serve

2 tsp pine nuts
6 orange segments
nasturtium leaves
coriander cress
pinch of salt

This soy-marinated cod recipe from Adam Stokes makes a scintillating starter

Soy-marinated cod with fennel, dill and apple by Adam Stokes

A super-quick and simple dish, this soy-marinated cod recipe from Adam Stokes makes a scintillating starter, with the fresh flavours of fennel and apple matching perfectly with the delicate cod.

Soy-marinated cod

4 cod fillets, each weighing 125g
​50ml of soy sauce
1 dash of olive oil

Fennel and apple salad

1 fennel bulb
4 sprigs of dill, chopped
40g of sesame seeds
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cored
5 sprigs of fresh coriander, leaves picked
1 pinch of salt
lemon juice

To start the dish, marinate the cod in the soy sauce for 20 minutes. Remove the fish and pat dry. Slice the fennel very finely with a knife or mandoline and place in a bowl. Mix in a pinch of salt, a squeeze of lemon juice and some chopped dill.

Toast the sesame seeds under the grill until golden. Cut the apple into thin batons and add to the fennel along with the sesame seeds. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 5. Place a large non-stick pan on a high heat with a small dash of oil. Evenly sear the cod, colouring for approximately 1 minute on each side. Place in the oven for 3 minutes, then remove and rest for 4 minutes to finish cooking through.

Give the fennel salad another mix and place into the centre of each plate. Place the cod on top of the salad, garnish with the coriander leaves and serve immediately.

Martin Wishart’s simple fennel salad recipe is easy to follow and very adaptable

Crunchy fennel salad by Martin Wishart

This simple salad recipe is easy to follow and very adaptable. Serve Martin Wishart's fennel salad with grilled or barbecued meats or pan-fried fish. To make this salad vegetarian, replace the Parmesan with an alternate vegetarian cheese.

Fennel salad

3 medium-sized fennel bulbs
​80ml of olive oil
2 lemons, juiced
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp caster sugar
​100g of Parmesan
2 tbsp of flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Cut the fennel bulbs lengthways into quarters, discarding any ugly outer leaves and cutting away the core.

Use a large chefs knife to cut the fennel into very thin slices. Pour the olive oil into a large bowl, add the lemon juice, then crush the salt between your fingers and add it to the bowl along with the sugar.

Whisk everything together, then add the sliced fennel. Coat it well with the vinaigrette and place it in a serving dish. Use a potato peeler to shave the parmesan over the salad, and finish with the parsley.

Video and recipes courtesy of Great British Chefs. Visit their website for more fantastic fennel recipes