FENNEL: This sweet-smelling flower serves double-duty as a remedy for headaches, coughs and as a cooking garnish.

What gardener wouldn't want to grow an herb that tolerates any soil or watering schedule, tastes like licorice candy, comes in light-green or bronze foliage variations, has numerous medicinal uses, and looks like a delicate (five foot high) fern with flowers? This wondrous plant is fennel, and every part of it, from roots to seeds is delicious.

Fennel has been used as an herb for centuries, and is native to the Mediterranean region. The aromatic plant is found in Greek mythology, Renaissance recipes, and Italian folklore. In fact, the word fennel comes from fenum, Latin for hay, which describes its sweet smell. In antiquity, Roman ladies ate fennel to reduce obesity. They were ahead of their time, since fennel is used today to help make fatty foods more digestible. Throughout its history, fennel has been eaten or taken in tea as a general digestive aid, and has been proclaimed to help numerous maladies, including toothaches, flatulence, coughs, headaches, bladder disorders, and more.

In the kitchen, fennel has so many applications that it's a wonder everyone doesn't grow it along with their parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. Italian dishes taste even better with this feathery herb, whether you use the seeds in pizza, chopped leaves in a salad, or the grated bulb in alfredo dishes. Florence fennel (F. vulgare var. dulse or var. azoricum) is a related variety, It forms a large, bulbous base which can be quartered and roasted for a unique side dish.

Another fennel variety called bronze fennel (F. vulgare var. rubrum or 'Purpurascens'), is absolutely beautiful in the garden and tastes just as good as the green variety. Plant a background hedge of green and bronze fennel behind some white or yellow flowers and wait for the compliments. (You don't have to tell anyone how ridiculously easy they are to grow.) Fennel is also great for attracting swallowtail butterflies and beneficial garden insects like lacewings, ladybugs, hover flies, and soldier bugs.

Fennel thrives in rich, moist soil with full sun, but can grow very well in any conditions. In Mediterranean climates, fennel grows wild on hillsides with complete abandon, even in the rock-hard, bone-dry clay soils of California. If you grow it in your garden under ideal conditions, fennel can easily reach five feet or more in its second year, so make sure you have the room before planting that innocent 2-1/2 inch potful from the nursery.

The mother plant is quite drought resistant once established, and the root bulb is very hardy. This vigorous plant can become invasive due to its ability to reseed, so if you don't want to bother plucking the babies up next spring, you should cut off the flower heads soon after they're done blooming. It will also cross-pollinate with dill, so you may have to choose between one or the other if you're a seed saver.

Fennel leaves don't dry very well if you want to use them later, but the seeds carry the leaves' distinctive licorice flavor. Fennel seeds keep well, and are good in deserts and candies of all kinds. Cut off the seed heads just as soon as they start to turn brown in late summer- you may have to check them every day or you'll lose a lot of seeds when they let go. Another method for gathering seeds is to tie bags over the drying heads when they're almost ready, but if you have a lot of plants this could be time-consuming.

Although fennel can be confused with licorice-flavored anise, or tall feathery yellow-flowered dill, fennel definitely deserves a place in any serious cook's garden. Plant it in a large pot on your balcony, or use a neglected corner of your yard, or create an extravagant backdrop in your herb garden for this graceful and delicious herb with a delicious history.

Tomato and Fennel Soup

Chop the feathery fennel fronds to use as a pretty garnish for this soup. They can also be added to the soup before pureeing to enhance the fennel flavor.


1 large onion, chopped
2 medium fennel bulbs, cored and chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
3 cups vegetable stock
3 cups chopped fresh tomatoes or 1 28-ounce can tomatoes
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup soy milk
Salt and pepper

1. In a large pot over medium heat, cook onion, fennel, and carrot in 1 cup of the vegetable broth until very tender, about 10 minutes.

2. Add remaining stock, tomatoes, and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

3. In a food processor, puree soup in batches and return to pot. Stir in soy milk, and add salt and pepper to taste. Reheat gently; do not boil.

Makes 6 servings.

V PER SERVING: 75 CAL (17% from fat), 22g PROT, 1.4g FAT, 12g CARB, 106mg SOD, 0mg CHOL, 4g FIBER.

Potato Cakes w/Glazed Apples and Fennel

If you're using leftover cold cooked potatoes in this dish, let them come to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe.


Cakes:
4 large russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 2-inch chunks
2 scallions, chopped
1/2 cup liquid egg substitute or two eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup cornmeal
Pay spray or oil for cooking

Topping:
2 medium fennel bulbs, halved, cored and sliced
1 tablespoon soy margarine or butter
3 tart green apples, peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 cup apple juice concentrate
Salt and pepper

1. In a large pot over medium heat, cook onion, fennel, and carrot in 1 cup of the vegetable broth until very tender, about 10 minutes.

2. Add remaining stock, tomatoes, and sugar. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

3. In a food processor, puree soup in batches and return to pot. Stir in soy milk, and add salt and pepper to taste. Reheat gently; do not boil.

4. Pan-spray a large skillet. Cook potato patties over medium heat until browned, turning once, about 3 minutes per side. Serve hot with warm apple and fennel topping.

Makes 4 servings.

O PER SERVING: 405 CAL (8% from fat), 7.4g PROT, 3.5g FAT, 85g CARB, 664mg SOD, 0mg CHOL, 10g FIBER.