Olive Oil Braised Bay Leaf & Lemon Fennel with Capers and Tomatoes
Recipe by Anna Shepherd
#cookwitholiveoil 12.
Cooking fennel gently in extra virgin olive oil like this turns it buttery and tender, and mellows out some of the natural aniseed notes.
Use any remaining oil to roast potatoes, or as a base for salad dressings.
Serves 4-6 as a starter or side
Ingredients:
For the fennel
3 small heads of fennel, cut into 6 wedges
1 tsp salt
100ml Honest Toil Extra Virgin Olive oil
175ml dry white wine
2 garlic cloves
3 bay leaves
Pared peel of 1 unwaxed lemon
2 large tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 tbsp capers
Optional: 15 pitted wrinkly black olives, halved
Handful of fresh mint and parsley, roughly chopped
Black pepper
For the yoghurt
200g Greek yoghurt
1 garlic clove
Salt & black pepper
To serve
Warm flatbreads for scooping
Arrange the fennel in an even layer in a shallow casserole pan. Scatter over the salt. Pour over the oil and wine and add the garlic, bay leaves and lemon peel. Cover the pan with a lid, then bring the liquid to a gentle simmer. Continue to cook over a low heat for 20 minutes, removing the lid to spoon the liquid over the fennel from time to time.
Add the tomatoes, capers (and olives if using) to the pan and give everything a jiggle with a spoon to ensure everything is submerged in the oil. Return the lid to the pan and continue to cook for 45 minutes over a low heat, continuing to spoon the liquid over the vegetables from time to time. Remove the lid and allow the steam to escape for a final 10 minutes.
Mix the yoghurt with the garlic and season with salt and pepper. Spread the yoghurt over a serving plate. Spoon the vegetables and some of the oil over the yoghurt, then finish with a sprinkling of the fresh herbs. Serve with warm flatbreads.
