Best 13 Fennel Butter Recipes

ROASTED HALIBUT WITH SAFFRON-FENNEL BUTTER

Steps:

• Combine 1 tablespoon butter and the saffron in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave until the butter melts, about 1 minute. Let cool 5 minutes. Place the remaining butter and the fennel seeds in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Add the melted saffron butter, 1 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and continue pulsing until the butter is bright yellow. Transfer to a piece of plastic wrap and form into a 4-inch log; freeze until firm, about 20 minutes. (The saffron butter will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.)
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Toss the sliced fennel, garlic, the juice of 1/2 lemon, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 2 tablespoons water in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons water and season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cover with foil and bake until the fennel is tender, about 20 minutes.
• Toss the tomatoes with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Scatter the tomatoes over the fennel. Set the halibut on top of the vegetables; drizzle with the juice of the remaining 1/2 lemon and season with salt and pepper.
• Bake, uncovered, until the halibut is firm and no longer translucent, about 12 minutes; remove from the oven and top each piece with a thin slice of saffron butter. Return the halibut to the oven and bake until the butter just begins to melt, about 2 more minutes. Serve with fennel fronds.

GRILLED OYSTERS WITH FENNEL BUTTER

Steps:

• Prepare and light a grill or preheat the oven to 500 degrees F (260 degrees C).
• In a small bowl, blend together the butter, ground fennel seeds, shallots, fennel bulb, fennel greens, pepper and salt.
• Arrange the oysters on the grill or oven rack, cover and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until they start hissing and begin to open.
• Using an oyster knife, pry each oyster open at the hinge, loosen the oyster and discard the flat shell. Top each oyster with 1/2 teaspoon of the fennel butter. Return to grill and cook until butter is melted and hot.

MEDITERRANEAN GRILLED WHOLE SNAPPER WITH FENNEL AND A PERNOD BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Preheat the grill to high.
• Rinse the snapper in clean water. Pat dry with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Remove any large fins with sharp kitchen shears. Season the inside of the fish with salt and pepper.
• Remove the leafy green tops from the fennel heads. Using the greens from 1 of the fennel heads, stuff the inside of the fish. Reserve the fennel bulbs and the remaining greens. Add the thyme and oregano and press closed. Make 3 diagonal slices on each side of the fillet. Cut down to the bone. Insert 1 lemon slice into each slit. Brush the whole fish with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
• Clean the surface of the grill with a grill brush. Brush the surface of the hot grill with olive oil. Place the stuffed red snapper on the preheated grill at a 45 degree angle and cook for about 10 minutes or until the fish easily lifts off the grill. With 2 spatulas, carefully turn 90 degrees and continue to cook another 5 minutes. Turn fish and cook the other side to desired doneness, at least another 10 minutes. Do not overcook.
• Meanwhile, cut the reserved fennel bulbs into 1/4-inch slices. Drizzle with olive oil and place on the grill. Grill until tender and golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Remove to a platter and keep warm.
• For the sauce: Place a small saucepan on the grill or on a burner over medium heat. Add the water and bring to a simmer. Add the lemon juice and Pernod and reduce by 1/3. With the remaining reserved fennel leaves, remove the tender inner leaves and chop finely. You should have about 1/4 cup chopped fennel. Set aside. Remove the water/lemon mixture from the heat and whisk in the butter, a few pieces at a time. When the butter is incorporated, add the chopped fennel leaves and whisk well. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• When the fish is cooked and the flesh is opaque and lifts easily from the bone, carefully remove using 2 sturdy metal spatulas and place on a platter.
• Serve the fish with some of the Pernod butter sauce and grilled fennel.

CHICKEN BREASTS WITH FENNEL-MUSTARD BUTTER AND RADICCHIO

Steps:

• For Fennel-mustard butter:
• Stir fennel seeds in small skillet over high heat until beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Place in spice mill and grind to coarse powder. Transfer to small bowl. Add remaining ingredients; stir to blend. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.)
• For Chicken:
• Whisk oil, lemon juice, and garlic in small bowl to blend. Place chicken in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour oil mixture over. Turn to coat. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.
• Heat 2 heavy large skillets over medium-high heat. Add 3 chicken breasts with some of marinade to each skillet; sauté until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to platter. Place 2 teaspoons fennel-mustard butter atop each chicken breast. Melt 1/4 cup mustard-fennel butter in 1 skillet over medium-high heat. Add anchovies; mash with fork. Stir in radicchio and capers; sauté until radicchio just begins to wilt, about 1 minute. Spoon radicchio atop chicken breasts.

BAKED CHICKEN WITH FENNEL BUTTER

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. Spray rack in shallow roasting pan with cooking spray.
• Gently loosen skin from chicken with fingers. In small bowl, mix remaining ingredients. Spread butter mixture between chicken breast meat and skin; cover breast with skin. Place chicken, skin side up, on rack in pan.
• Bake uncovered 50 to 60 minutes or until juice of chicken is clear when thickest part is cut to bone (170°F).

BAKED SALMON WITH TARRAGON AND FENNEL-SEED BUTTER

Steps:

• Stir butter, chopped tarragon, fennel seeds, lemon peel and lemon juice in small saucepan over low heat until butter melts. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange salmon on baking sheet. Brush butter mixture over salmon. (Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover; chill.)
• Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 450°F. Bake salmon until just opaque in center, about 12 minutes. Transfer salmon to plates. Garnish with lemon slices and tarragon sprigs.

FENNEL AND BUTTER BEAN SALAD

Steps:

• Combine butter beans, fennel, and scallions in a bowl.
• Whisk lemon juice, olive oil, dill, honey, salt, pepper, and garlic together in a separate bowl. Pour dressing over the bean mixture; toss together to coat.
• Refrigerate at least 1 hour before serving, or up to 1 day.

ROAST LEG OF LAMB WITH FENNEL BUTTER

Steps:

• For seasoned butter:
• Mix all ingredients with fork in medium bowl. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using.)
• For lamb:
• Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 450°F. Pour 2 tablespoons oil into large roasting pan. Place pan directly atop 2 burners over medium-high heat. Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper. Add lamb to pan and brown on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Remove pan from heat. Brush lamb with half of seasoned butter.
• Roast lamb 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F; continue roasting until thermometer inserted into thickest part of meat registers 130°F for medium-rare, about 40 minutes longer. Transfer to platter; tent with foil. Let stand 20 minutes.
• Skim off fat from drippings in roasting pan. Place pan atop 2 burners over high heat. Add wine and broth. Boil until mixture is reduced to 2 cups, about 13 minutes. Whisk in remaining seasoned butter (sauce will be thin). Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
• Garnish lamb with rosemary sprigs, if desired. Serve with sauce.

CAVATELLI WITH FENNEL SAUSAGE, BROWN BUTTER AND CRISPY SAGE

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, then the sausage in batches, if necessary, to avoid overcrowding the skillet. Cook until the sausage is fully cooked, about 3 minutes per side. Remove the sausage to a plate and return the skillet to the heat.
• Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to the package instructions. Drain the pasta.
• Meanwhile, add the butter and the chopped sage to the skillet and cook, stirring, until the butter is browned and smells nutty. Pour in the wine and cook until the alcohol has cooked off, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon, about 3 minutes. Return the sausage to the skillet, add the pasta and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and fried sage leaves and serve immediately.
• Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Mix together with your hands until well combined. Gently roll the mixture into 1 inch balls and set aside on a rimmed baking sheet lined with wax paper. Refrigerate until ready to use, for up to 4 days.

FENNEL-DUSTED CHICKEN WITH BROWN BUTTER AND CAPERS

Steps:

• Stir together fennel seeds, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Pat chicken dry, then sprinkle both sides with fennel mixture.
• Heat 2 tablespoons butter with oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until foam subsides, then cook 2 cutlets, turning once, until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely. Add remaining 2 cutlets to skillet and cook, then transfer to plate. (Butter will brown as chicken cooks.)
• Add capers and orange juice to skillet along with any meat juices from plate and bring to a boil, scraping up brown bits. Remove from heat and swirl in remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Pour over chicken.

STEAMED SALMON STEAKS WITH LEMON BUTTER AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Season salmon steaks with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with fennel seeds. Slice 1/2 of the lemon and juice the remaining half; set both aside.
• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Bring water to a boil. Add salmon steaks, cover, and steam until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 8 minutes.
• While the salmon is cooking, melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in lemon juice.
• Remove salmon from the steamer. Remove and discard skins, and arrange salmon on a plate. Pour lemon butter over top and decorate with fennel fronds and lemon slices.

ROASTED OR GRILLED VEGETABLES WITH FENNEL AND WALNUT BUTTER

Steps:

• Vegetables -- Mix the vegetables and fennel with the olive oil, salt and pepper and toss well.
• Bake -- on a foil lined baking or cookie sheet at 450 for 12-20 minutes until golden brown. Add to a small bowl and cover.
• Butter -- Mix the butter in a measuring cup and add the nuts and mix well. Now toss the melted butter with the roasted sprouts and fennel. Toss well to coat. Add any additional seasoning if necessary.
• Now -- clean up. Melt the butter and nuts in the bowl you use to serve the sprouts in, one less dish. Very easy simple dish. But try this with other vegetables. Also, don't be afraid to try macadamia nuts with snap peas or pecans with butternut squash. Many different combinations you can use.
• Option: Sometimes will crumble a little blue cheese or goat cheese over the top which is really good.

FENNEL BUTTER

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a small pan. Add the fennel seeds and cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic, stirring so garlic doesn't burn, and cook for 1 minute.
• Squeeze the juice of the lemon into the pan and stir, cooking for another minute. Add salt and pepper to taste.