I’ve been rather lax, the last few weeks, letting you all know what kind of goodies we have been getting in our weekly CSA box. It’s not because we aren’t enjoying everything (although I can do without the zucchini and summer squashes). It really has to do with crazy busy work schedules and just not making the time to sit down and write.

As I stated in my last post, tomatoes are in full swing, but we also receive some of my all time favorite vegetable, fennel, this past week. I absolutely love the subtle anise (licorice) flavor and the fresh flavor it can bring to so many dishes. I will often shave it paper thin and make it into a little salad to accompany seafood or slowly cook it, like onions, until well caramelized, which deepens the flavor and brings out its intrinsic sweetness.

This pasta dish pairs fennel with tomatoes, fresh basil, olive oil, and a bit of garlic to celebrate the flavors of summer. It makes the perfect hot summer evening dinner as it remains light and fresh and doesn’t require a whole lot of cooking (or heating up the house).

Summer Vegetable Pasta
serves 3-4

1/2 pound spaghetti, dried
1 bulb fennel, fresh
1-2 tomatoes, preferably home or locally grown and at their peak of ripeness, diced
8-12 leaves fresh basil, torn into small pieces
1 scallion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbl. butter
salt
fresh ground black pepper

Julienne the fennel by slicing it in half, across the wide side. Remove the core and julienne the individual “petals.” Bring a large pot of water to boil, while heating a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the spaghetti to the water and at the same time add half of the olive oil and all of the fennel to the saute pan. Allow the fennel to slowly sweat while the spaghetti is cooking. Just before the spaghetti is done add the garlic to the saute pan and cook without allowing the garlic to burn. Add 3 Tbl. of the pasta water to the saute pan and drain the spaghetti. Once the spaghetti is drained add it to the saute pan allong with the tomato, basil, scallion and the remaining olive oil. Toss to warm through then remove from heat. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Finally add the butter and stir until it has melted. Serve immediately.

You’ve heard me say it before and I’m sure you will it again, many times, from me, but great food does not always have to be complicated. Oftentimes all that great food requires is starting with a great product and using good technique. A perfect example of this is a very simple and straightforward roast chicken. With just a few, simple ingredients and good technique one can turn the ordinary into something sublime. Just ask most chefs and they will tell you that a perfectly roasted chicken is a thing of beauty and one of their favorite dishes. By the way, if you are wanting a lesson in roasting chicken, you can find my instructions here in one of my earlier posts.

This recipe kind of falls into the same category although it does have a few more ingredients that roast chicken, but not many more. Many people are not familiar with fennel, the vegetable. Sure, most everyone has fennel seed sitting in their spice draws (usually collecting dust) but not everyone is familiar with the vegtable, which is too bad as fennel is one of the most flavorful vegetables out there. The flavor is a very subtle anise flavor that pairs well with everything from chicken to fish to pork to pasta. I often shave the raw fennel bulb and add it to a salad for a nice crunch and vibrant flavor, but, by far, my favorite way to prepare fennel is to slowly caramelize it. Like onions and other root vegetables, caramelizing fennel brings out its inherent sweetness, while creating a rich, deep flavor that I find irresistable.

Simply add some leeks and a little garlic, along with some cream and you have a wonderful, cool weather sauce for pasta. Pair with a sauteed chicken breast and you have a meal that is warm and comforting enough for simple meal and yet, sophisticated enough to impress your favorite foodie.

Sauteed Chicken Breast wtih Fettuccine and Fennel
serves 4

1 bulb fennel, tops removed and some of the fronds reserved
1 medium leek, julienned, white and light green parts only
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbs. butter
2 cups cream
salt
pepper

4 each chicken breasts, boneless, skinless
2 tsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped
2 Tbs. olive oil
salt
pepper

1 pound fettuccine
1/4 cup chopped parsley

To cut the fennel, slice in half from top to bottom, cutting through the core. Remove the core and julienne like you would an onion. In a large saute pan over medium heat, melt the butter and add the fennel. Slowly cook for 15-20, stirring regularly, until the fennel is a uniformed medium brown. Meanwhile place the leeks in a strainer and rinse to remove any grit and dirt. Once the fennel is done, add the leeks and garlic to the pan, along with some salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes making sure that the garlic does not burn. Add the cream and reduce by half. Taste for seasoning.

Meanwhile, while the fennel is cooking, season the chicken breasts with salt, pepper and the fresh time. Also bring 1 gallon of salted water to a boil. Once the fennel is half way done, and the water is boiling add the fettuccine and cook per the package directions. In another large saute pan, heat the 2 Tbs. olive oil, over high heat. Add the chicken breasts and cook until done (lenght of time will be determined by how big and how thick the breast are).

When the fettuccine is done, drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking water, and toss pasta with the sauce. If sauce is too thick add some of the reserved pasta water, a little at a time, until you achieve the consistancy you desire. Taste for seasoning and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Divide the pasta among 4 plates and mound just above the center point of the plate. Slice the chicken breast, on a bias, into 7-9 slices and fan out, leaning against the pasta. Sprinkle with the parsley and a little of the fennel frond you reserved and chopped up.

Living in Wisconsin, it can be hard to track down nice, fresh fish sometimes unless you catch it yourself. Much of the stuff to hit the stores has been frozen at one time or another. Worse yet it has been frozen and not handled properly, meaning its been frozen, thawed and refrozen at least a couple of times turning the flesh into a mangled mess. Needless to say, I often avoid seafood which is too bad because I really love fish and shellfish, but I am not about to pay top dollar for second rate or poorly handled fish. There are a few fish “markets” within driving distance of me, but you pay top dollar for the fish they bring in. I have a really hard time doing that as I know what it costs restaurants to get in fresh fish, and while not exactly cheap it is sure a lot less expensive than what they are selling it for. It was with this mindset that I happened upon some beautiful looking halibut today at none other than my local “mega-mart.” The stuff looked pristine and the man behind the counter assured me that it had never been frozen. At $14 a pound he had better be right, but I couldn’t resist. It looked too darn good and it had been too long since I had good fish. Into my basket went 8oz of halibut, a bulb of fennel and a ruby red grapefruit, along with the other stuff I had stopped at the store to pick up, then on home to whip up a quick and simple dinner to surprise the wife.

Halibut with Fennel and Grapefruit
8 ounces Halibut, skin removed and cut into 2 4ounce portions
1 bulb Fennel, plus a couple sprigs of the fronds
1/4 each Red Onion, thinly julienned
1 each Ruby Red Grapefruit
3 Tbsp. Butter, unsalted
1Tbsp. Olive oil
Salt
Pepper

Slice the fennel bulb in half, from top to bottom, reserving one half. Cut out the core of the other half and cut into thin juliennes. Peel the grapefruit with a knife, making sure to remove all the white pith. Remove all the segments by cutting parallel to the membranes releasing the pulp in whole segments. Squeeze all the juice out of the membranes and reserve. Chop some of the fennel fronds to give yourself 1 tsp. Season with fish with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a medium sized saute pan until hot but not smoking. Saute the fish until just done. Don’t overcook or the halibut will dry out. While the fish is cooking, melt 1 Tbsp. of the butter in another saute pan and add the fennel. Saute a couple of minutes then add a couple tablespoons of water, cover and allow the fennel to wilt. Stir, add a little more water, cover and continue to cook until fennel is tender, about 5 minutes. Add the onions and cook until wilted. Add the the grapefruit segments and juice. Toss until warmed through then add the remaining butter. Remove from heat and continue to toss until all the butter is melted and incorporated into the juice. To serve place the halibut on a plate, top with half the fennel-grapefruit mix and drizzle with half the sauce. Do the same on the other plate. Serve with your choice of vegetable (I served sauteed green and wax beans tossed with fresh dill, from my herb garden) and starch.