Recently I was visiting my local farmer’s market and I couldn’t resist purchasing some of their beautiful fennel. Buying fennel is always such a treat because it is full of flavor and is incredible in a variety of dishes. My first thought when I bought the fennel was to pair it with some fresh lemons from my garden. Since fennel is a little crunchy I decided to grill it on my Bull Grill and turn into a refreshing grilled salad.

Fennel is not only super tasty but it’s edible from bulb to frond! The white bulb can be prepared raw or cooked and used similarly as an onion or celery. Its stems are very fibrous, but they can be finely chopped and used like celery in salads and soups. Its frilly fronds can add texture, beauty, and make a great tasting alternative to parsley or basil as a garnish & flavor enhancer.

Since fennel closely resembles other root vegetables it can take the heat but I still try to cook it only long enough to develop grill marks on all sides.

Grilling lemons with the fennel on my Bull Grill is a great way to use fresh produce that complement each other.

I normally serve the fennel in large pieces but it can also be served by thinly slicing into a slaw like consistency. It can be served straight from the grill or chilled. It will last for a couple days in a fridge after grilling.

Grilled Fennel & Lemon Salad

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Author: Chef Anthony Serrano

Ingredients

4 fennel bulbs
2 Meyer lemons
1/4 cup shaved Romano cheese
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil plus 1 tbsp for drizzling
Salt and Pepper

Instructions

Cut fennel in half lengthwise. Remove fennel fronds and save for later.
Toss lemons and fennel in olive oil.
Grill on a preheated medium heat Bull Grill until grill marks have appeared. Approximately 3-4 minutes on each side.
Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature or place in fridge for later use.
Arrange fennel on a plate or bowl and squeeze grilled lemon over it. Season with salt, pepper and garnish with fennel fronds. Top with shaved Romano cheese.