Wild Fennel, an easily grown herb with a broad use in the kitchen.
Appreciated since ancient times, Wild Fennel’s aroma is highly regarded, making it one of the most popular ingredients in the kitchen.
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Wild Fennel, Foeniculum Vulgare is a perennial herb that is particularly common in the coastal areas of the Mediterranean but can also grow on hillsides and in the mountains.
RB Plant from Albenga grows Wild Fennel as a part of their high-quality, intensely flavoured, natural Sunny heRBs range that is exclusively “made in Albenga”.
This plant can be easily distinguished from normal fennel as its flowers have more defined aromatic properties and the branches grow to a greater height. The base of the plant however remains less developed. This highly perfumed herb is totally edible and has a variety of uses in the kitchen.
Both the leaves and the roots can be used, and both must be eaten fresh. The seeds however should be dried and can add flavour to different dishes and drinks.
Wild Fennel: Growing
This herb has a delicious taste and aroma and growing it is really quite simple; that is why it should always have a place in your patios and gardens. Furthermore, it is also an efficient mosquito deterrent.
The plant prefers a sunny position and suffers cold climates. Therefore, it is a good idea to protect Wild Fennel during the winter months by bringing it indoors or covering it with a nonwoven fabric.
You should be careful with the watering: this plant does not require much water and as a result the irrigation should be adjusted from season to season.
In particularly dry periods, it is a good idea to water the plant at least twice a month when the soil is dry.
Wild Fennel: Culinary use
Wild Fennel can be applied to almost all culinary fields, both with raw and cooked foods. It is often used with crudités, in minestrone and soups, with meat and fish, in sauces and vinaigrettes. It is also an excellent addition to infusions, in vin brulé, with camomile or tea.
There are a variety of well-known uses. Wild Fennel is used in Sicily in the preparation of the marvellous “Pasta con le sarde” (pasta with sardines). In Apulia Wild Fennel seeds are used to flavour “tarallini” (crackers), doughnuts and other home-made desserts. In Piedmont this herb is the vital ingredient in the local “finocchino” biscuits.
Do you like the flavour of Wild Fennel and do you like to use herbs in your cooking?
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