How to Core Fennel
Fennel is a vegetable with a thick white bulb topped with fluffy green strands called fronds. The bulb is the most commonly eaten portion of fennel, although the fronds are edible and can be used as garnish. Although the entire fennel bulb is edible, many people do not care for the hard texture and bitter taste of the core of the bulb. A fennel core is hard and shaped like a triangle, making it easy to identity and remove. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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1
Rinse the white fennel bulb with warm water and gently dry. Cut horizontally through the top of the fennel bulb, directly below the fluffy green fronds.
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2
Discard fronds or chop and save for garnish. Cut fennel bulb in half lengthwise to expose the hard triangular core.
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3
Place each fennel bulb half onto a cutting board. Use a sharp paring knife to make a diagonal cut around each side of the attached triangular core on both fennel halves without cutting completely through the surrounding bulb.
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4
Pry the core gently away from the surrounding fennel bulb with a paring knife. Chop directly through the core and surrounding bulb to remove if it won't easily pry away.
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5
Discard fennel core pieces. Cut fennel into thin slices or dice into fine pieces and serve raw, gently sautéed or grilled.
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Tips & Warnings
Do not remove the fennel core if you plan to cook large wedges of fennel because they may not stay intact or cook evenly.
