With its sweet anise flavour, wild fennel is one of the most distinctive ingredients in Sicilian food and is central to many classic dishes, including this one. Its tender stalks and feathery fronds may be made into fritters used to season soups, sautéed with tomato sauce as a side dish, or served as a salad dressed with oil and vinegar. Domesticated fennel with its round white bulb and chunky inedible stalks has little to do with the wild variety and unfortunately there is no real substitute for it in a recipe, especially when a large quantity is called for. When a small amount is needed, you may substitute equal parts fresh dill and parsley but the flavour would be quite different. Likewise, a small handful of dried fennel seeds can give a hint of the elusive liquorice-like note typical of wild fennel.
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Wild fennel can be grown in temperate climates with ease, so why not have a go at growing your own?
►You’ll find finocchietto selvatico seeds at Franchi Seeds, www. seedsofitaly.com
►And here are some growing tips: www.rhs.org.uk/herbs/fennel/growyour-own
►Wild fennel grows abundantly in the summer so it can be foraged too.
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