Fennel can be a difficult vegetable to cook due to its layers. Unless separated, the outer layers can overcook while the centre remains crunchy. Cooking fennel sous vide eliminates this problem as the temperature of the water bath never exceeds the optimum temperature.
1
Preheat the water bath to 85°C
2
Trim the woody base and tips of the fennel (the tips can be reserved for garnish)
3
Place in a vacuum bag with a tablespoon of olive oil and a pinch of salt and seal under pressure
4
Place the bag in the preheated water bath to cook for 45 minutes
5
Remove the breasts from the bag and drain on kitchen paper
Variations
To enhance the natural aniseed flavour of the fennel, try adding a star anise to the bag before cooking.
You could also try adding a squeeze of orange juice to the bag for a citrus twist.
Serving suggestions
Fennel is excellent with both meat and fish. Try Marcus Eaves' Turbot with prawns, braised fennel and borage or Marcus Wareing’s Best end of pork with fennel and apple.
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