Your Guide To Cutting Fennel For The Best Result

Cutting fennel is definitely a careful task as it hampers both taste and texture if you go with the wrong cutting style. Not only that, the best way to do so will help you save your time in the kitchen which you can send in other activities.

Tools Required

• Knife
• Cutting Board
• Vegetable Peeler (optional)
• Pairing Knife (optional)
• Measuring Spoons or cups (optional)

Instructions

After gathering all the required tools, you can start the process with the following steps:

Step-1 Clean The Fennel

First of all, you should wash the bulb of fennel in cold water. Just make sure you clean it thoroughly without leaving any dirt and debris. After that, you can dry it with a paper towel. 

Step-2 Trim the Stalks and Fronds

After that, you should place the fennel on the cutting board and cut off the stalks where they meet the bulb. You can save fronds for garnish or flavoring soups.

You should look for the outer layer, if they are tough and discolored then you can peel it off with the help of a vegetable peeler. If you don't have a vegetable peeler then you can use a sharp knife to peel.

Step-3 Cut The Bulb In Half

To cut the bulb, you should stand it upright on its root end. After that, you need to use a sharp knife to slice the bulb in half from top to bottom, cutting through the root.

Step-4 Remove The Core

Inside each half, there are triangular-shaped cores near the base. After that place the fennel half-cut side down. Cut a V-shaped wedge around the core and remove it. This part can be tough and isn’t ideal for most dishes.

Step-5 Choosing Your Cutting Style

You can cut fennel in your desired shapes as per the recipe you want. You can either slice them, wedge them or cut them into dice. The choice is completely yours, so make an appropriate choice as per your recipe. 

Step-6 Reatin Fronds

You can use the saved fronds by finely chopping them to use as a garnish, similar to how you would use dill. However, this is optional. You may skip this step.

Step-7 Store the cut fennel

Your fennel bliss is ready to use. Now, you can utilize the cut fennel as per your desire and store the remaining for later use.

Cutting fennel into julienne or matchsticks is a brilliant way that not only helps to make the cutting task fun but also gives the perfect result. It can be a perfect idea for the presentation of the dish as well, so here are the required tools and instructions you need for this way of cutting fennel:

Tools Required

• Sharp knife
• Cutting Board
• Mandoline (Optional) - for more uniform cuts
• Paring Knife (Optional) - for removing the core

Instructions

1. First, you should clean the fennel properly so that there is no dirt or debris left. 
2. Then, you should trim the stalks and fronds at the top of the fennel bulb. It will be great if you discard or save for garnish.
3. After that, you should slice a thin layer off the root end to create a stable base.
4. Now, you need to cut the bulbs into halves. You can do that by placing the bulb on the cutting board upright.
5. To remove the core, you should lay the fennel halves flat, and cut side down. You can also use a knife or paring knife to cut out the triangular core from each half.
6. Then, you need to place one-half of the fennel flat on the cutting board and slice it lengthwise. Make sure you make thin even planks. Stalk a few of the planks together and slice them into thin even strips. 
7. If you are thinking of using a mandoline, then you need to set it to a julienne setting and slide the fennel bulb halves across to achieve uniform matchsticks.

Cutting fennel dice is another brilliant way that give the best result for using fennel in various dishes. However, it requires some tricks and tips for the effective result.

Tools Required

• Knife
• Cutting Board

Instructions

To cut the fennel into dice you should follow the steps below:

1. Gently wash the fennel without leaving any dirt and debris. 
2. After that, you should trim the fennel cutting off the stalks and fronds at the top of the fennel bulb. Make sure you slice it into a thin layer off the root end to create a stable base.
3. Placing the bulb upright on the cutting board you can cut it in half. It is better to slice it vertically from top to bottom. 
4. After that, you should remove the triangular core from each half. 
5. Then, you should place one-half of the fennel flat on the cutting board and slice it lengthwise into thin planks. The ideal thickness is around 1/4 inch.
6. After that, you need to stack a few of the planks together and slice them lengthwise into strips, about 1/4-inch wide.
7. Finally, you should go for turning the strips 90 degrees and slice across them to create small, even cubes (diced fennel).

Cutting fennel in a wedge is also the best way to get the desired result. These shapes are not only attractive in presentation but also help you get the complete blend of flavor while cooking.

Interestingly, this is the most easy and quick way to cut your favorite fennel. Just collect the required tools and follow the instructions below:

Tools Required

• Knife
• Cutting Board

Instructions

Once, you have collected the ingredients and kitchen tools, you need to follow the instructions below:

1. You should trim the fennel by cutting off the stalks and fronds at the top of the fennel bulb. You can set fronds aside or discard them. Then, you should slice a thin layer off the root end to create a stable base.
2. After that, you need to place the bulb on the cutting board and cut it half vertically from top to bottom. 
3. For larger wedges, you should choose to leave the core in place to help hold the wedges together. However, you can cut out the core by making a V-shaped cut near the base of each half with a sharp knife.
4. Finally, you should place each fennel half-cut side down and slice each half lengthwise into wedges. Depending on the size of the fennel bulb, it is better to cut each half into 3 to 4 wedges.

Mincing is probably the most effective cutting style of fennel however, that might be a lengthy and frustrating task if you are not a regular kitchen person. You should know about some tricks and tips to get the best result while micing fennel. 

Tools Required

• Knife
• Cutting Board
• Pairing Knife

Instructions

Since it is a careful task, you should use a sharp knife and get yourself ready with the required tools and ingredients (fresh fennel). Then kindly follow the instructions below:

1. First, clean the fennel thoroughly and trim it cutting off stalks and fronds.
2. After that, you should cut the bulb in half. To do this, just hold the bulb vertically on the cutting board and cut it tom to bottom.
3. Then, it's time to remove the core from each half of the bulb. For that, you can lay them down and use a paring knife to remove all the central core.
4. Now, you should slice the bulbs in a plank. It is better to slice it lengthwise into thin planks which are about 1/8-inch thick.
5. After that, you should cut the planks into thin strips continuously. Yes, it is necessary to run a knife over the thin strips to get the perfectly minced fennel.
6. Interestingly, the minced bulb will give a fine texture that is not only versatile but also helps enhance the flavor of the dish. it is perfect for garnishing purposes.

Cutting fennel with the right guidance will help you get the best result and also ensure the best texture and presentation. Whether you are a regular kitchen person or a first-timer in the kitchen these additional tips will definitely help you get your desired result, so have a look:

1. You should always use a sharp knife when cutting kitchen stuff. So, the same thing applies in the case of fennel as well. Just make sure you use the sharp knife to get the clean cuts along with reducing the risk of slipping. This also makes your task easy and safe.
2. During the slice, you should create a flat base by trimming the root end. The purpose of this action is to keep the fennel stable on the cutting board reducing the chance of rolling and cutting fingers.
3. You should always remove the outer part of the bulb if they are tough, dry, and discolored. By doing this you will get a tender and flavorful result.
4. It will be better to cut the fennel with its natural grain in the bulb. This helps in even cooking as well as maintains good texture while roasting and sauteing.
5. If you want a tender result then you should remove the core of the fennel. However, you should keep the core if you want to cut it wedge.
6. If you want to cut very thin or uniform slices (e.g., for salads), then it will be great to use a mandoline slicer. This helps you achieve consistent results quickly.
7. You should always curl your fingers inward (the "claw" grip) while holding the fennel so that your fingers will be safe as you slice.

While choosing the best fennel in order to get the desired result, you should focus on some of the things, especially the attributes of this vegetable. The wrong selection may hamper the taste and waste your time. So, follow the below tips to choose the best fennel.

Size

To make the cutting and handling task easy, it is better to look for a fennel bulb that is medium to large in size. Though smaller bulbs are more tender, you should go for the large size in order to improve the texture.

Firmness

You should choose the fennel bulb that is firm and solid on tough. Squeeze the bulb and avoid the soft or spongy ones as they are old or overripe. Old bulbs are not very suitable for state and texture and also they are likely to spill fast.

Color

Always look for bulbs that are white or pale green in color with no brown spots or discoloration. Green or white indicates that the vegetable is fresh and is best for the taste. Similarly, you should choose the one with bright green colored green leafy parts and it's better to avoid the wilted one.

Shape

For the best result, you should choose the rounded bulb with a slight flatness. This shape is absolutely perfect which makes it easier to cut the fennel into even slices or wedges.

Stalks

The stalks of this vegetable should appear firm but not too woody. If stalks are very tough, you may find it difficult to cut them. If they seem too fibrous, then it might be better to remove them before cutting.

Fragrance

Fresh fennel often has a strong, sweet, anise-like aroma. So, if you find it weak or has no scent at all while smelling, then it might not be the best choice. You should avoid such and go for the one with the best fragrance.

Following the above selection tips will help you get the best result.

Fennels once cut are not meant to be stored for a long time. They should be consumed immediately either raw or cooked. Pairing with side dishes is also a good option. However, if you still want to store them for future use, then I suggest you store them for only 2-3 days. 

For storing them, you can place the cut fennels in container bags. Just make sure the bags you use are completely airtight. Now, place the bags in the refrigerator lying the bags loosely from one another. As they have been cut, make sure you use them within 2 to 3 days for the best taste and texture.

If you want to store the bulbs without being cut, then you can wrap them in paper wrappers and keep them inside plastic bags. Now, label the bag with the date and details and place it inside the fridge or feezer. It is better to consume them within a week.