Braised fennel with rosemary

 
                        BRAISED FENNEL WITH ROSEMARY
 
 Recipe By     : 
 Serving Size  : 8    Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : Side dish                        Vegetables
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
   12       ea           Garlic cloves
    4       tb           Olive oil
    4       lg           Fennel bulbs
      1/3   c            Water
    8       ea           Sprigs fresh rosemary
   12       ea           Brine-cured black olives
                         Salt and fresh ground pepper
                         Lemon slices, for garnish
 
   Bring 2 to 3 cups of water to a boil in a small pot
   and blanch the garlic cloves for 3 to 4 minutes;
   drain.  Heat 1 tb. of the oil in a small skillet over
   medium heat and brown the garlic until golden all over.
   Cut the leaf stalks and the hard butt ends from the
   fennel bulbs, leaving just the bulbous stem, a piece 2
   1/2 to 3 1/2 inches long. Halve the small bulbs
   lengthwise; quarter the larger bulbs. In a large
   skillet, heat the remaining oil and the water over
   medium heat. Add the fennel in a single layer and the
   rosemary.  (If you have more fennel than your skillet
   can accommodate in a single layer, save half the oil
   and rosemary to cook with half the fennel in a second
   batch.) Cover and cook the fennel, turning once or
   twice, until water cooks away and the fennel is tender
   and browning, about 15 minutes. If the fennel begins
   to brown before it feels tender, add a little more
   water; if it becomes tender before browning, raise the
   heat or take off the lid to speed browning. When the
   fennel is tender and browned, add the garlic and
   olives to warm through.  Season to taste with salt and
   pepper.  Garnish with lemon slices.
  
 
 
                    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -