My submission to Battle Fennel, hosted by Leela and me

Click here to skip right to the video…


As a Canadian, I’ve never celebrated Thanksgiving on the American date before. By the time American Thanksgiving rolls around, I’m usually all turkey, pie, and gravy-ed out. This year was a little different.



Roasted fennel mingling with anchovies and garlic

Anthony of Farmstead Wines and InevitableTable graciously invited me to his American Thanksgiving dinner. In preparation for the evening, he slaughtered a 200 lb pig two days prior to feed a houseful of hungry guests.




In attendance were food enthusiasts and contributors to our local collaborative food site, Foodists.ca.

Following the pre-dinner’s counter space jostling, pot and pans scrubbing, stovetop sharing, wine spilling, and all forms of laughter amidst chaos, an amazing spread of food gathered us in awe and appreciation.



Fennel: the star of the day

Fennel is a delightful winter vegetable that can add crunch and liven up any salad or lend a sweet, creamy hand to comfort dishes. After roasting in the oven, it becomes deeply caramlized and tender and makes the ideal topping to pan-fried polenta slices.



Rosemary polenta cut and ready for frying



For this month’s Beet ‘n Squash YOU! Battle Fennel, I created this recipe as an hors d’œuvre for Thanksgiving. A round-up of the submissions and the winners will be announced on Monday, December 7th.

Just for kicks and to step it up a notch, I created my first instructional video. This wasn’t easy so please go easy on me :) I hope that you enjoy it.





Roasted Fennel and Anchovies on Rosemary Polenta

Ingredients

Rosemary Polenta

  • 1 cup of polenta
  • 2 cups of chicken or vegetable stock
  • 2 cups of water
  • 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese
  • several sprigs of fresh rosemary
  • olive oil
  • s&p

Topping

  • 2 fennel bulbs
  • 1 can of anchovy filets
  • 1/2 head of garlic
  • 1 cup of olives
  • olive oil