I often find recipes which call fennel bulb but I can never find them in stores. What would be a good?

Question

substitute?

The recipe is a Mediterranean Vegetable Soup with Pistou. Its made with leeks, potatoes, tomatoes, olive oil, parmesean cheese and lots and lots of basil.

Sorry, that was 'call FOR fennel bulb'.

Answer 1

Fennel has a unique taste, and there aren't any substitutes with a similar flavor. I would add more of the other ingredients, or add another vegetable that is common in Mediterranean cooking. If fennel is the focus of the soup, then I would find another recipe.

Good Luck

Answer 2

Lots of things have the aniseedy flavour; fennel seeds, caraway seeds, dill and star anise. A good vegetable substitute could be celery, use the yellow-green leaves from the centre too, and sweat down with onions or use per your recipe. Celeriac has a similar(ish) flavour too, but needs much more cooking. You could always grow wild fennel, it behaves like a herb and is easy to grow from seed.

Answer 3

In grocery stores it's called "anise", don't know why. It has a wide, flattened stalk section with leaves that look like dill. Pistou is awesome but you really need the Fennel or "anise" to have it come out right. the flavor is like celery with a hint of licorice, great in salads or halved, coated with olive oil, a sprinkle of basalmic vinegar and grilled.

Answer 4

Aniseed... but beware!!! I tried making such a soup and substituted too much aniseed. Bloody thing had a really overwhelmingly strong taste. The next time, I took used a chicken broth in a separate pot, and simmered the aniseed... then added the result to the soup. It was easier to control the flavour that way. Cheating... but it worked!

Answer 5

fennel = finocchio = Florence fennel =bulb fennel = garden fennel = sweet fennel = (incorrectly) sweet anise = (incorrectly) anise Equivalents: 1 cup sliced = 87 grams; 1 bulb = 2 1/2 cups Notes: Fennel tastes like licorice or anise, and it's commonly used in Italian dishes. It's very versatile; you can saut� it and add it to sauces, braise it as a side dish, or serve it raw as a crudit�. Substitutes (for fennel bulb): Belgian endive + 1 teaspoon crushed fennel or anise seed OR celery + 1 teaspoon crushed fennel or anise seed (celery takes less time to cook) OR celery + chopped onion + crushed fennel or anise seed (celery takes less time to cook) OR celery + Pernod, Ricard, or anisette (celery takes less time to cook) OR udo OR celery (celery takes less time to cook) Substitutes (for fennel leaves = fennel feathers): unsprayed avocado leaves OR hoja santa leaves OR parsley

Answer 6

A health food store is usually a good place to find things like that, or natural foods. And that soup sounds great. When you're done with it, can you put some in my catfood bowl? I'll purr for it!

Answer 7

Try Belgian Endive plus 1 tsp. crushed fennel OR anise seed

Or you could try celery plus 1 tsp. fennel or anise seed(celery cooks faster)and proceed as usual.

Answer 8

celery might be quite nice. Jicama would be suitably crunchy and neutral-sweet. Maybe some pear?

Answer 9

Go to a Farmer's market or gourmet store.

Answer 10

This link should answer your question.