What is fennel?

Question

I saw this on Iron Chef America last night and have no idea what it is.

Answer 1

Here you go...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fennel

You can buy it in the seasonings aisle. It has a licorice taste and is great on italian foods.

Answer 2

It's an herb.

Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) is a species in the genus Foeniculum (treated as the sole species by many botanists), and is native to southern Europe (especially the Mediterranean) and southwestern Asia. It is a member of the family Apiaceae (formerly the Umbelliferae).

It is a highly aromatic perennial herb, erect, glaucous green, and grows to 2 m tall. The leaves grow up to 40 cm long; they are finely dissected, with the ultimate segments filiform, about 0.5 mm wide. The flowers are produced in terminal compound umbels 5—15 cm wide, each umbel section with 20—50 tiny yellow flowers on short pedicels. The fruit is a dry seed from 4—9 mm long, half as wide or less, and grooved.

Fennel is used as a food plant by the larvae of some Lepidoptera species including the Mouse Moth and the Anise Swallowtail.


Culinary uses

Fennel, from Koehler's Medicinal-plants (1887)The bulb, foliage, and seeds of the fennel plant all have secure places in the culinary traditions of the world. Dried fennel seed is an aromatic, anise-flavoured spice; they are brown or green in colour when fresh, and slowly turn a dull grey as the seed ages. For cooking, green seeds are optimal.

Fennel seeds are sometimes confused with aniseed, which is very similar in taste and appearance, though smaller. Indians often chew fennel seed (or saunf) as a mouth-freshener. Fennel is also used as a flavouring in some natural toothpastes. Some people employ it as a diuretic, while others use it to improve the milk supply of breastfeeding mothers.

Many cultures in the Indian subcontinent and the Middle East incorporate fennel seed into their culinary traditions. It is an essential ingredient in the Bengali spice mixture panch phoron and in Chinese five-spice powders. It is known as saunf or moti saunf in Hindi and Urdu, mouri in Bengali, and shombu in the Tamil language. In the west, fennel seed is a very common ingredient in Italian sausages and northern European rye breads.

Many egg, fish, and other dishes employ fresh or dried fennel leaves. Florence fennel is a key ingredient in some Italian and German salads, often tossed with chicory and avocado, or it can be braised and served as a warm side dish. One may also blanch and/or marinate the leaves, or cook them in risotto. In all cases, the leaves lend their characteristically mild, anise-like flavour.

Answer 3

its a flowering herb that when it matures gives seeds that r anise flavored. used mostly in italian cooking. as seeds r moistened and cook, the aroma and flavor they produce r wonderful.

Answer 4

its a root veg vegatable that tastes like licorise, its also got a similar taste as pernod

Answer 5

a vegetable