ITEMS
Fennel
Gold Beets
Kale Bunch
Dozen Eggs
Sentinel Cheese (similar to Parmesan)
Homemade Style Egg Pasta
PRODUCERS
Chance Farm - Bozeman
Amaltheia Organic Produce - Belgrade
Three Hearts Farm - Bozeman
Dutch Girl Eggs - Manhattan
Tucker Family Farm - Victor
Country Pasta - Polson
Using Fennel: Fennel pairs well with apple, orange, lemon, tomato, salty cheeses like the Sentinel or other aged Italian style cheese, as well as pork or salmon. You can eat the bulbs and the fronds. Stalks can be used whole to flavor a braise or roast. Separate the bulb from the stalk and fronds as soon as you get it and store both wrapped up in the fridge to keep it fresh. Check below for links for some fennel recipe suggestions.
Lemony Pasta with Fennel & Kale (Serves 2-4)
2-3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1/2 large onion, thinly sliced
1 fennel bulb, thinly sliced, fronds reserved
3 large garlic cloves, sliced thin
2-3 pinches red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 large bunch of kale, stems removed and roughly chopped
juice of one lemon
10 ounces medium-wide noodle, like linguine or fettuccine
salt and pepper
Sentinel or parmesan cheese, grated
Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onion to the oil and cook gently for 5 minutes, until it begins to soften. Turn up heat to medium, add sliced fennel and saute for an additional 6-8 minutes until tender and slightly caramelized. Add garlic and red pepper flakes and continue to cook, stirring frequently, for another minute. Turn off the heat.
When the fennel is almost cooked, add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente. Add the chopped kale to the pot 2-3 minutes before the pasta is done cooking. Reserve 1/2 C of pasta water, drain pasta and kale, then toss with the onion and fennel mixture. Add a little pasta water as needed and stir well. Add the lemon juice to taste, season with salt and pepper, and serve topped with chopped fennel fronds and a pile of grated cheese.
Balsamic Roasted Beet & Kale Salad
4 medium sized gold beets, washed and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1 bunch kale, de-stemmed and chopped into bite-sized pieces
1/4 C balsamic vinegar
1/4 C + 2 Tbs olive oil
2 tsp dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
Optional toppings: thinly sliced raw fennel, roasted fennel, chopped fennel fronds, shaved Sentinel cheese, crumbed goat cheese, toasted pine nuts or walnuts, apple slices, orange slices, etc.
Preheat the oven to 425. Toss sliced beets with 2 Tbs olive oil. Spread out on a baking sheet and roast in the oven until fork tender and lightly browned. About 20-25 minutes. Toss beets halfway through cooking.
Whisk together the balsamic vinegar, remaining olive oil, dijon mustard, salt and pepper.
Put chopped kale in a large bowl and massage with 1 Tbs olive oil and a small pinch kosher salt until all the leaves are darker in color and glossy.
Top kale with roasted beets, your toppings of choice, and drizzle with balsamic dressing.
Fennel, Beet, and Orange Salad with Cumin Vinaigrette
Adapted from Martha Rose Shulman, NYTimes Cooking. Serves 2-3 as a side.
2-3 gold beets, washed and quartered (use more or less depending on size)
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, quartered, cored, and sliced very thin across the grain
1/2 a navel orange, peeled, pith cut away, and cut in thin rounds or sections
1 Tbs chopped fresh mint
2 tsp chopped cilantro
1 Tbs lemon or lime juice
1/8 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp cumin seeds, lightly toasted and crushed (sub 1/8 tsp ground cumin)
Salt to taste
1 small garlic clove, minced or mashed (optional)
2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
Roast beets as directed above until tender. Peel if you want to, and slice into thin half-moons.
Combine beets, sliced fennel, orange slices or medallions, mint and cilantro in a bowl.
Whisk together lemon or lime juice, sugar, cumin, salt, optional garlic, and olive oil. Toss with the salad and serve.
More Recipes & Suggestions
Pasta with Gold Beets, Greens, and Pine Nuts (add kale if you want)
This salad will make you feel fancy: Fennel-celery salad with blue cheese and walnuts
Pork tenderloin with roasted fennel (add beets, if you wanted)