Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.)

Fennel fruits, often referred to as “fennel seeds” rather inaccurately, are an ancient spice of the Mediterranean, known by the Greeks since three milennia. In the course of time, fennel usage spread both to the East and to the North, which is why fennel is now part of Northern European cookery as well as of East Asian cooking. Quite often, salty foods receive only a small dash of fennel – so small, indeed, that fennel's importance is easily overlooked.
As fennel is native to the Mediterranean, it is most typical for the cuisines of Southern Europe. It is used for meats and poultry, but even more for fish and see food. Fennel is rather popular in Southern France and often contained in the Provençal spice mixture herbes de Provence.

Italians are particularily fond of fennel, employing it for many different kinds of foods, e.g., for sausages or pasta sauces. It is often contained, together with herbs (thyme, oregano), in the olive oil based marinades for vegetables and, sometimes, sea foods. The marinated vegetables are usually eaten as appetizers (antipasti), together with white bread and red wine.
Fennel pollen has a spicy-ethereal fennel scent that best complements fruity flavours as found in Italian food, particularily in South Italy. For example, I like risotto with tomatoes, fennel pollen and a hint of thyme. Being less robust than fennel fruits, fennel pollen should be added late in the cooking process, or even just before serving.

Used plant part
Fruits (usually mistermed “seeds”) . Other than most of their relatives, they retain a green colour after drying. As a rule of thumb, a bright green colour indicates a good quality.
In Italy, there is also small-scale usage of fennel pollen as an expensive and rather extravagant spice. Also known as “Spice of the Angels”, fennel pollen is also produced in California als a small-scale exotic crop.
The leaves and stalks of fennel can be eaten as a vegetable. Italian breeds with fleshy stem and leaves to be used as a vegetable are often referred to as “Florence Fennel” or “Finocchio” in English, but the name finocchio may mean any type of fennel in Italian.

Plant family
Apiaceae (parsley family).

Sensoric quality
Sweet and aromatic, similar to anise. Fennel pollen, alsko known as “spice of the angels”, has a subtle fennel flavour, lacking some of the sweetness but with a distinct note of pine needles.

Origin
Mediterranean. The plant's popularity spread northward during the middle ages, when it was grown in monastries.