Fennel And Fig

In my garden, the fennel plants have a million seeds, they are at their best,  enough to dry them out to add to my dried herbs collection.  Roasted fennel seed is so fragrant and delicious to add to poultry, fish and pork dishes,  poached fruits and also excellent for flavouring dough for bread making.  I have enough harvest this time to share with.

Harvest fennel seeds:
Roast dry fennel seeds lightly until they impart the fragrance.  Let them cool, put in a clean jar place the lid on tightly and keep in the pantry. Edible freshly roasted fennel seeds can last for a while.

The bounty of the fennel seeds

Last time I posted braised stuffed turkey wings flavoured with fennel seeds and other herbs served in winter. You may like to try, and it is suitable for autumn cooking also.  The pictures are here, but if you wish to have the recipe and the details you could search, simply type Fennel Seeds.

Enjoy the Autumn cooking!

Turkey wings with spices rub

Stuffed Turkey Wings

You can see two stuffed wings, when it is all done, lightly dust the stuffing which is exposed from the wings before you put in the braising pot.  Add extra spices - crushed fennel, thyme and garlic chives.  Tuck the chopped apple in between the wings, drizzle some oil, add the stock about one and a half cup.  Place the lid on the pot, now it is ready to braise.

Ready to Braise: add fennel seeds and bay leaves.

Put the pot carefully in the oven, and set the temperature to 200 degrees C, braise for 35 minutes.  Reduce the heat to 160 degrees, and keep on braising for 25 minutes. Continue braising at 125 degrees C for one hour. Switch the oven off and leave the pot in, until the oven is more cooling.

Cooked and Braised

The Fig trees have fruits, they look so sad, though.  I don't think the fruits ever get to our table.  Right now the fresh figs are available in the shop or the market.  To have fresh fig is a treat, but we will never have them from the garden.

 My Potted Fig Trees

The past few days the weather was hot, and potted plant needed the extra drink,  I thought I gave them enough, but it could be the soil is no good any longer, needs a new one which able to absorb and retain water better.  I am tempted to replant them in the ground, but I could not afford to have large fig trees in the backyard. Something I have to think correctly about these two.
Using Fresh Fig Fruits.

Honey Chicken Garnished with Sliced Fresh Fig

Add sliced fresh fig onto salads or for garnishes.  The honey chicken garnished with the sliced fresh figs was beautiful and indeed quite agreeable.
These above and below pictures regarding using fresh fig fruit are from my cooking in the past.

My Greek Doughnuts - Loukoumades

Loukoumades Garnished with Fresh Fig of My Garden

Eating fresh fig fruits are the best way to go, even though dried figs could be lovely and sweet.  Fresh figs served with the Greek doughnuts-Loukoumades is beautiful, but it will never happen to me this year, especially using the garden harvest of mine.  Always next time, next year I hope.



Happy First Autumn Day, and enjoy the season.

Susy.