ALL PARTS OF THE fennel plant—the seeds, the flowers, the pollen, and the fronds—are aromatic and edible, yet most cookbooks seem to focus only on the bulb. The bulb is actually not a bulb at all, but simply the gathering point of its tightly packed stalks. Both the fronds and stalks are tender and delicious, tasting of mild licorice (which is a popular savory flavor in Denmark). When cooked, the fronds of the fennel plant are even milder.
MAKES 2 CUPS / TIME: 15 MIN
This pesto gets a boost from Japanese umeboshi plum paste, which on its own is puckeringly sour. But packed with a mild anise, bread, and herbs, it sings. (Always keep lots of pickly sour things in your refrigerator.)
1 cup fennel stalks (the part between the fronds and the bulb), chopped
¼ cup chopped celery stalks
1 teaspoon kosher salt
cup neutral oil
¼ cup 1-inch-cubed day-old bread
¼ cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon pickled plum paste or other sour seasoning
1 squeeze lemon juice
Pulse the fennel and celery stalks in a food processor. Add the salt and then the oil in a slow stream until just mixed. Do not puree. Mix in the bread, Parmesan, and plum paste by hand. Season with a squeeze of lemon.