FENNEL JAM

Did you know that you can caramelize fennel as you would onion, even though they are unrelated vegetables? That’s how this bright, tangy fennel jam makes a fabulous alternative to onion jam. Frankly, I’m a fennel fanatic; although onions can often aggravate GI conditions like IBS, fennel is linked to improving digestive health and alleviating cramping. Remarkably, every part of the plant is edible!

Fennel (and onion) jams, like Western-style chutneys, balance sweet, sour, and sometime spicy flavors. They are awesome topped on crackers, cheese, burgers, and more. Since a batch lasts about 2 weeks in the fridge, I love preparing fennel jam on one day and dipping into it throughout the week. For some reason, scoops of fennel jam make a quick weeknight meal feel both homespun and fancy schmancy.

THAT’S MY JAM!

Prep:

80 min

Cook:

40 min

Total:

2 hrs

Makes 2 cups in volume. Each serving is 2 tbsp, so there are 16 servings total.

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb fennel (a large bulb)
2 tsp salt, more to taste
1 tsp black pepper
1 heaping tbsp fresh thyme, divided
¼ cup (~59 ml) balsamic vinegar
¼ cup (~59 ml) red wine vinegar*
¾ cup (~150 g) granulated sugar**
2 tsp olive oil

*You can substitute in apple cider vinegar, even adding a splash (1-2 tsp) of red wine

**There are quite a few options if you wish to reduce sugar content. A batch substituting sugar with a combination of erythritol and monk fruit worked, but crystallized upon chilling, like honey. You could use a blend of sugar and erythritol/monk fruit. Sugar alcohols may be irritating if you have GI issues, so I recommend initially mixing them with sugar if you aren’t familiar with them. Keep in mind that the best texture and flavor will come from using actual sugar, whether it be granulated, raw, maple, beet or honey. Liquid sweeteners will make it taste too artificial, with a bitter aftertaste.

FENNEL FUN FACTS:

The bulbs commonly eaten usually come from Florence fennel, not the herbal fennel used for spice and seed cultivation. Trans-anethole is the dominant compound in licorice root, fennel seeds, star anise and anise seeds, though fresh fennel only has a hint of the flavor. This aromatic vegetable pairs wonderfully with beets and carrots.

STEP BY STEP:

1. Wash your produce. To prepare the fennel, chop off the top and bottom of the bulb, remove the core and outer layer (if damaged), and thinly slice the fennel. Next, dice the thin slices into chunks. Save those fronds, which taste similar to dill tinged with anise, if you’d like to use them as garnish. Likewise, the fibrous stems can be chopped finely and used like celery in relish, broth, sauces, etc. I usually freeze some of the fronds and stems with other clean vegetable scraps for when I make large batches of stock. (10 minutes)
2. Place the diced fennel in a medium or large bowl. Toss the 2 tsp salt in with the fennel chunks, mix well, and set aside at room temperature for at least an hour. The salt is going to make the fennel sweat a bit and release some liquid. Keep the liquid in the bowl; it will help everything caramelize later. (1 hour) While the fennel is sweating, I like to pre-measure any ingredients needed for later, such as the 1 tsp cracked black pepper, 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves, adding the ¼ cup balsamic vinegar and ¼ cup red wine vinegar to a liquid measuring cup, and setting aside ¾ cup granulated sugar in a small bowl.
3. Get out a 10 inch skillet to cook the fennel. Heat up the 2 tsp olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the fennel and the salty liquid. Sauté for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the fennel chunks have softened considerably; many will become translucent. Make sure that the chunks do not brown and fry.
4. Stir the 1 tsp black pepper and half the 1 tbsp of thyme leaves into the softened fennel chunks. Reduce the heat to low before pouring in the ¼ cup balsamic vinegar and ¼ cup red wine vinegar. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, so that the fennel chunks plump up from the vinegars.
5. Raise the temperature to medium-high heat and add the ¾ cup granulated sugar. Cook for another 10 minutes, stirring to make sure the mixture doesn’t stick to the pan.
6. Take the pan off heat and stir in the remaining half a tbsp of fresh thyme leaves. Allow the fennel jam to cool in the pan, though if you want to immediately use some warm jam in a recipe go ahead and portion out however much you need (~10 min). Once fully cooled, season with a pinch or two of salt, according to your taste. I would use a finishing salt or fine sea salt rather than table salt or iodized salt (which can get a bit metallic). Store in an airtight jar or container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. You can also freeze the mixture in ice cube trays or silicon molds for convenient portion sizes. Check ideas for how to incorporate fennel jam with foods under the photo gallery below.

MEAL IDEAS

Breakfast: Top a bagel and cream cheese or toast and mascarpone with fennel jam. You could also include it as a filling for savory crepes.
Appetizers: Enjoy it as part of a charcuterie spread, with most cheeses or crackers. Love it with thick cut beet chips and goat cheese.
Sides: If goat cheese isn’t your thing, try tossing warm fennel jam with roasted beets. It’s a good way to get the grassy, tangy notes without the creamy cheese. It’s extra deliciously fatty and indulgent if you combine the fennel jam with melted butter and more fresh thyme or parsley. Or you can mix fennel jam with sour cream to top fritters or latkes.
Sauces: Stirring fennel jam into tomato sauce or my Just Beet It Sauce deepens the flavor and adds complexity. You can also add it to a brown butter and sage sauce for ravioli or gnocchi. You can also blend fennel jam with plain, unsweetened yogurt (Greek or otherwise), olive oil, and fresh dill (or chopped fennel fronds!) to create a marinade.
Entrees: Top a veggie or beef burger with fennel jam! We also heated up some fennel jam with butter and drizzled it across seared salmon, mashed potatoes and roasted squash.

NUTRITION FACTS ¾ cup granulated sugar vs. ¾ cup erythritol/monk fruit

Number of Servings: 16
Fiber: 0.98 g / 0.98 g
Carbs: 12.35 g / 13.53 g

Calories per Serving: 52.68 kcal / 19.13 kcal
Sugar: 10.4 g / 1.04 g
Protein: 0.41 g / 0.41 g

Weight per Serving: 37 g / 38 g
Fats: 0.35 g / 0.35 g
Iron: 0.30 mg / 0.30 mg

All servings and nutritional measurements are approximate. These estimates are intended for information and guidance purposes only. Please consult a licensed nutrition or medical professional if you need assistance.

Gluten-Free and Vegan Disclaimer: All of the ingredients listed in this recipe are available in gluten-free and vegan versions. Please do your research and verify ingredient lists, as many products can have surprisingly hidden amounts of gluten that can impact those with Celiac Disease and gluten allergies. Likewise, vegans may need to verify if products contain hidden amounts of whey or animal derived ingredients.

Categories: Appetizers, Sauces, Vegan, VegetarianTags: Condiments, Fennel, Gluten Free, Plant Based, Spreads, Vegan, Vegetarian

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