INGREDIENTS
4
Tb oil, olive
4
Ea fennel, bulbs, large
1/3
C water
8
Ea rosemary, fresh, sprigs
12
Ea
olives, black, brine-cured
1
X pepper, freshly ground
1
X lemon, slices, for garnish
DIRECTIONS
Bring
2 to 3 cups of water to a boil in a
small pot and
blanch the
garlic cloves for 3 to 4 minutes;
drain. Heat 1 tb. of the oil in a
small skillet over medium heat and
brown the
garlic until golden all over.
Cut the leaf stalks and the hard butt
ends from the fennel bulbs, leaving
just the bulbous stem, a piece 2 1/2
to 3 1/2 inches long. Halve the small
bulbs lengthwise; quarter the larger
bulbs. In a large skillet, heat the
remaining oil and the water over
medium heat. Add the fennel in a
single layer and the rosemary. (If you
have more fennel than your skillet can
accommodate in a single layer, save
half the oil and rosemary to cook with
half the fennel in a second batch.)
Cover
and cook the fennel, turning once or
twice, until water cooks away and the
fennel is tender and browning, about
15 minutes. If the fennel begins to
brown before it feels tender, add a
little more water; if it becomes
tender before browning, raise the heat
or take off the lid to speed browning.
When the fennel is tender and browned,
add the garlic and olives to warm
through. Season to taste with salt and
pepper. Garnish with lemon slices.
