There are few vegetables prettier in cross section than a finely sliced fennel bulb. This recipe presents the layered bulb to full advantage, sliced paper-thin and dried to a chewy crispness. Poised between savory and sugary, these crisped fennel fans work best as a delicious frivolity as a garnish on a sorbet or a cheese plate, topped with a little smoked salmon and chèvre as an appetizer, or as a little sweet nothing on the side of a cup of tea.
Ingredients
- 2 cups [480 ml] water
- 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice, plus 1 Meyer lemon, thinly sliced crosswise
- 2⁄3 cup [130 g] sugar
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 large fennel bulbs, trimmed, sliced thinly, cores intact
How to Make It
- Line dehydrator trays with nonstick mesh sheets that have been lightly coated with cooking oil.
- In a large nonreactive saucepan over medium-high heat, bring the water to a boil. Add the lemon juice, lemon slices, sugar, and fennel seeds. Turn the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Add the fennel slices and gently stir to ensure all slices are coated with the lemon-sugar syrup. Simmer gently on low heat for 10 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid, if desired, for another use.
- Lay out the fennel fans and the lemon slices on the prepared trays. Dry at 135°F [57°C] for 14 to 16 hours, until a cooled piece of fennel is crisp-chewy. Let cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container, preferably with a silica gel packet to extend freshness, in a dark place at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
