FENNEL SEASONING RECIPES

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a large saucepan, add the fennel and onion and cook over medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables are tender. Add the chicken stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Add the peas and cook for 3 minutes, until the peas are tender. Off the heat, add the salt and pepper.
• Puree the soup in batches with a food processor fitted with a steel blade or with a stick blender. Pour the soup into a large bowl and repeat until all the soup is coarsely pureed. Whisk in the creme fraiche and taste for seasoning. Reheat the soup in the saucepan and serve hot with a drizzle of olive oil and some croutons on top. 
• Heat the olive oil in a large (10-inch) saute pan until hot. Add the bread and cook over medium heat, tossing frequently, until the bread is evenly toasted and browned. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Yield: 2 cups

Steps:

• 1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 1 minute shy of the package directions. Drain, transfer to a bowl, and toss with oil to keep the pasta from sticking; set aside. 2. Slice open the casings of the sausage and remove the ground pork. 3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once it's hot, add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally until well browned, about 5 minutes. 4. Using a slotted spoon, remove the sausage from the pan and set aside. Add the sliced fennel to the pan, along with the pepper and salt to taste and cook until the fennel is softened, about 4 minutes. 5. Add the pasta and sausage to the pan and toss to heat through. Serve. Note: If you don't feel like cooking this in a skillet, you can toss the sausage and sliced fennel on a sheet pan and roast them at 375�F for 18 to 20 minutes. If you don't have fresh fennel, you can substitute 1 teaspoon fennel seeds or 2 red or green bell peppers, cored, seeded and sliced.