Tuesday Treat: Tasty cooking with fennel

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Foeniculum_vulgare_-_K%C3%B6hler%E2%80%93s_Medizinal-Pflanzen-148.jpg

After all the excitement of Halloween and Superstorm Sandy, it feels good to slow a little. I'm going to share a wonderful new recipe I found that uses fennel seeds. This delicious spice is similar to anise, and has a bit of a black licorice taste. Fennel seeds area a common ingredient in Italian sausage and meatballs and some rye breads. You may see these seeds, plain and sugar-coated, at Indian restaurants, to be eaten after the meal. Here is a link to a good article about fennel.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fennel

Enjoy this recipe. It's quick and easy (like most things I cook), good for you, and it smells delicious! I prepared it ahead of time on one of my late days, put it in the refrigerator, and it was all ready to slide into the oven when I came home. If you make it, let me know how it comes out.

Spinach and Black-Eyed Peas Casserole

1 can black-eyed peas

1/4 cup olive oil

1 onion, chopped

3 cups fresh spinach

1 (28 ounce) can peeled and diced tomatoes (I also added fresh tomatoes)

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon fennel seed, ground (I just put them in a plastic baggie and rolled a glass over it)

Garlic

Fresh tomatoes

Curry, basil, oregeno (These spices are optional, but I liked them all)

Barley

Directions

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.     Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Saute onion and garlic with spinach, tomatoes, salt and fennel for 15 minutes.

3.     Combine beans with spinach mixture in a 2 quart casserole dish.

4.     Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes.

5.     Serve over cooked barley

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http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Saunf_or_Fennel_seeds_used_as_an_after-mint_in_India.jpg