This is a dish that is very versatile, easy to make and liked by all. Although this recipe uses cabbage and turnips, you can use any combination of leafy greens and root vegetables.

1 cup vegetable stock

2 eggs

1 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground pepper

1/2 cabbage, thinly shredded

1 bunch turnips,roots grated and greens finely sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

Mayonnaise or any dip of your choice

Mix to together vegetable stock, eggs, flour salt and pepper until you obtain a smooth batter. Add shredded cabbage and turnips and mix in well.

Heat oil to medium high in large skillet. Add half the cabbage mixture to the skillet (reserve the other half for a second batch or for another occasion – it will keep in fridge for a few days). Pat down with a spatula until mixture is even and compact. Cover and cook on medium high for 5 minutes.

Turn over – I slide it on a plate and then flip the plate over in the skillet.

Cook for another 5 minutes, covered.

Slice like a pizza. Serve sliced with dollops of mayo on each slice.

Kusuma Rao, Ruchikala

This simple comfort food meal comes together within a half an hour.  Cooking down the fennel adds a lovely depth of flavor with few ingredients.  I suggest serving the dish with cooked jasamine rice, as it’s plumper and more fragrant.  I like to drizzle the rice with a touch of fruity olive oil or a small sliver of good butter- it just helps bring the dish together.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound fennel bulbs – thinly sliced
1 large yellow onion
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper
1 ½ teaspoons thyme
4 cloves garlic, very finely minced
2 cups cooked and drained white beans
¾ cup of water
1 ½ teaspoon of salt
parsley

1) In a Large high-sided skillet on medium heat add olive oil and add the sliced fennel. After about 6 minutes or so add the onion, crushed red pepper, and thyme. Continue to cook on medium to medium high heat, stirring to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan. You will be lightly caramelizing the fennel, so it may take up to 15 more minutes. When the fennel and onion are lightly brown and softened.

2) Add garlic clove and sauté for another minute or two.

3) Add the cooked white beans and salt along with ¾ cup of water and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Garnish with parsley and serve with white jasmine rice.

Philippe, Tucson CSA

1 lb ground pork or beef
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced in small cubes
2 rutabagas (or turnips), diced in small cubes
1 teaspoon Worcester sauce, or 1 tablespoon mustard
(optional) 1 bunch chopped greens, or 1/2 small shredded cabbage, or 2 bulbs fennel cored and sliced
Salt and pepper (or chili flakes) to taste
1 cup water or broth
1.5 lbs potatoes, quartered
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup milk
1 pinch ground nutmeg

Sauté ground meat in skillet on medium heat for about 5 minutes until browned.  Make sure to break meat up as it cooks. When meat has released its fat, add onions, carrots, rutabagas, greens (if using), Worcester sauce (or mustard), salt and pepper.  Cover, turn heat on low and cook for another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 cup water, stir, and simmer, covered, for another 15 minutes.

Add potatoes to a pot of cold water.  Bring to a boil and cook for 20 minutes.  Drain.  Mash potatoes with butter, milk, nutmeg and salt and pepper.

Place meat and vegetables mixture in an oven dish and cover evenly with mashed potatoes.  Use a fork to make a design on the potatoes.  Place in 400 degree oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the potatoes begin to brown.

This is variation on the Fennel Gratin listed above.  Instead of baking the fennel, you sauté it and add it to pasta.  Adding greens to it provides nice color contrast and extra flavor, and is a yummy way to use up any greens you may have lingering in your refrigerator. Or instead of the greens, use the finely chopped fronds of your fennel (don’t use the fibrous stalks, just the delicate fronds).

4 small or 2 large fennel bulbs, trimmed, cored and sliced thinly.
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon red chile flakes
1/4 (or more) cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 bunch greens, chopped
Fennel fronds from the bulbs, chopped
1/2 lb pasta (rotini or fusilli)
Salt and black pepper

Heat oil in large skillet to medium heat.  Add fennel, season with salt, pepper and red chile flakes, and sauté, covered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fennel is tender but not limp.
If using fennel fronds, added them to the fennel.
Meanwhile, boil pasta.  Three minutes before pasta is done, add chopped greens.
Drain pasta when done and mix with fennel.
Stir in Parmesan cheese and serve.

Note: you can use the fennel prepared this way as a pizza topping instead of adding it to pasta.

Philippe, Tucson CSA

4 bulbs fennel, trimmed, cored and quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cups uncooked Arborio rice
7 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
6 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
(optional) 1 bunch greens, chopped (mustards, kale, turnips tops or any winter greens)
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil to medium hot in a large skillet.
Sauté onions and fennel for about 2 minutes.
Stir in the rice and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Add 1 cup broth. Stir until liquid is almost completely absorbed. Repeat this process with remaining broth. This process takes take 15 to 20 minutes.
Stir in cream, half the Parmesan cheese and greens, and cook on low heat until rice is done and risotto is thick and creamy.
Season to taste with salt and pepper and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese

Philippe, Tucson CSA

2 large or 4 small fennel bulbs, trimmed and quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook the fennel in salted water until tender but not limp (8-10 minutes). Drain.
Preheat oven to 400°F.  Oil an oven dish.
Arrange the fennel quarters in the oven dish. Season with salt and black pepper. Sprinkle on the cheese.
Bake for 30 min or until cheese is golden brown.

Philippe, Tucson CSA. Originally submitted by Shawn Halversen, Tucson CSA, and adapted from ‘Rustic Italian Food’ by Marc Vetri and David Joachim

4 small or 2 large fennel bulbs, trimmed, cored and quartered (reserve fronds).  Smaller bulbs can simply be halved.
1 to 2 cups olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Spread fennel wedges in a glass oven dish and add olive oil to a depth of ¼-inch. To use less olive oil, use the smallest dish that will hold the fennel. Sprinkle with salt, black pepper, red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese.
Bake until tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool a bit. Remove wedges with a slotted spatula and place on serving dish.
Garnish with reserved fennel fronds.

The leftover olive oil can be used as a dipping oil for bread, or it can be used to make a salad dressing.

Philippe, Tucson CSA

1/2 dozen small fennel bulbs, or 2-3 larger bulbs, cored and quartered
1 cup fennel fronds (not the stems, just the fine leaves), finely chopped
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 salt-packed anchovy fillets, rinsed, drained, and chopped
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper

Boil quartered fennel bulbs for 10 minutes, or until tender. Drain and set aside.
In a frying pan, heat the oil over medium-low heat, and add the garlic, anchovies, and pepper flakes. Cook gently until the garlic has softened and the anchovies begin to dissolve. Add the fennel quarters and leaves and continue cooking another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot or at room temperature, with pasta or noodles.

Sara Jones, Tucson CSA

This is a great way to use fresh chicories. The key to this
salad is the mint, which, along with the lemon juice, adds
freshness to balance the strong flavors of the cheese and
olives. If you can, use a combination of endive and radicchio
for a prettier salad.

A few large handfuls chicory, washed, drained well and
chopped
2-3 baby fennel bulbs, thinly sliced
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
Small handful of mint leaves, roughly chopped
1 handful good quality black olives, pitted and chopped
2-3 tablespoons feta cheese, crumbled
Juice from one lemon
Good drizzle of olive oil

In a large bowl, toss together greens, fennel, onion and mint.
Top mixture with olives, cheese and lemon juice. Toss gently,
add a large drizzle of olive oil and toss again.