Farmer-Crush Eradication Program: Step 2

Okay, people, now it’s time to get back to the serious business of farmer crushes.  My carrots aren’t quite gone, yet.  But, since some of us are getting through this process faster than others, let’s move right along to the crucial next step of my patented Farmer-Crush Eradication Program.

Step 2: Cheat on your farmer every which way.

This is a foolproof plan.  If subtracting food miles got me into this situation, adding them back will surely get me out.  My goal is to put as many food miles as possible between me and the Farmer before the Summer CSA starts.  Strawberries from California.  Pineapple from Hawaii.  Only the finest in European olives and cheeses.  My food will be racking up the frequent flier miles, which, with any luck, will land me a round-trip ticket to Maui where I’m long overdue for a visit anyway (you know who you are). 

I’ve been very faithful to my farmer over the past 10 months.  Maybe too faithful according to the other farmers I'd sometimes find myself heckling (“You call this Swiss chard?”).  But now it’s time for me to sow my wild oats.  Or, rather, my factory-farmed oat substitutes.  Everything I’ve heard about these kinds of tawdry culinary affairs is that they leave you with an overwhelming sense of emptiness and regret, but we’ll just see about that.  What if I eat a lot?  And really, really enjoy it? 

First up, braised fennel with olives.  The cheese, the olives, the fennel itself?  None of it local.  In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if it was all imported.  Can’t you just smell that precious oil burning?  Let’s see, that’s about 10,000 air miles, which should be enough to get at least a one-way ticket to Idaho. 

There.  I’d like to see me get to first base now!

Braised Fennel with Black Olives

This is my favorite way to eat fennel, and I’ve been fennel-less for far too long.

3 Tbsp. butter
2 medium fennel bulbs, stems trimmed and discarded, bulbs cut vertically ½-inch thick
½ cup chicken stock or white wine or both
½ cup pitted black olives (oil-cured or brine-cured, your choice, but not canned)
¼ cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
Salt and ground black pepper

In a large frying pan with a cover, heat butter over medium heat and add fennel in a single layer (or close to it).  Add stock or wine, season with salt and pepper, and cover.  Simmer over medium-low heat, about 12 minutes.  Turn slices over and cover, simmering, until fennel is starting to brown on the bottom and most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 10 minutes.  Turn fennel again so it can brown on the other side.  Add olives and cook, uncovered, a few minutes longer.  Sprinkle with cheese, add more salt and pepper, if necessary.  Serve.

Comments

[melissa]

farmer sadness. *sigh*

but hey, fennel! I just posted about my very first meal with fennel. I didn't even know what it was before and we loved it. :) this looks wonderful, tammy. oh wait, I mean "bacon tammy."

[Gillian]

must... resist... olives!
istilllovemyfarmer-istilllovemyfarmeristilllovemyfarmer
ISTILLLOVEMYFARMER!!!

i will manage.

[Leah]

Do you know about Busa Farm in Lexington? I do their CSA, and I love those farmers at least as much as you love yours. You should totally add a link to them (http://www.busafarm.com/) to your list of local farms.

I will also pimp Chestnut Farms in Hardwick. I do their meat CSA, and wow, is everything they raise *delicious*! Plus, Farmer Kim is an absolute sweetheart. http://www.chestnutfarms.org/

[beth]

any ideas on substitutions for the olives for people who don't like them? or should i just leave them out?

[Alecto]

When I was young (on my 40th birthday actually) and foolish I walked all over Greece or I walked all over olives. Just lying there on the ground waiting to be smushed into purple juice (yep, they were all purple) or plucked from trees and marinated until perfect. The miles, oh the miles, just to step on those delectable squishy things. OK, we saw other things too.

[Adele]

No, no. If you're going for max food miles, the pineapple needs to come from Queensland, Australia.

[Family Nutritionist]

Does the fennel still taste fennelly after you cook it?

I'm growing fennel again this year, but olives .... they will certainly keep me from ever becoming a locavore

[Mary]

Ah I love fennel. I thought about growing it myself this year, but I've heard it's really hard to grow. You make me wish I liked olives...

[Tammy]

Mary: Not sure how hard fennel is to grow. For me, everything is hard to grow.

Family Nutritionist: Braising it like this really mellows the flavor a lot, and it kind of gets a sweet, caramelized onion quality about it. Not like raw fennel, which is licorice in vegetable form. I like it both ways, but I could see someone who didn't like it raw liking it cooked.

Adele: Queensland it is. Hey, is that where the Queensland Blue squash my farmer grows gets its name? (Step 3: Stop talking about the farmer.)

Alecto: That sounds lovely. I'll have to add "Trip to Greece to step on olives" to my list of things to do before I give up on life.

Beth: No love for olives? It seems you are in good company here. Just leave them out. I only started adding olives recently. Still yummy.

Leah: Thanks for the links! I will definitely add them.

Gillian: You are a strong and noble woman. Your farmer will be proud.

Melissa: Your dish looks awesome. I can see how adding sausage and pasta could further improve fennel.

[Helen]

Why oh why has the combination of olives and fennel never occurred to me? I must have eaten them together before - surely? This sounds yum. I once gave my nan an olive to try - her face was an absolute picture. Let's just say she didn't like it.....

[sarah]

this was crazy delicious! thanks again for such a yummy yummy dish.