COOKBOOK: Lyndey Milan’s Taste of Australia
Fennel, the vegetable which took me years to like! Married to an Italian who eats it raw, it was very hard for me to enjoy and fine a perfect way to introduce it in our meals.
Here it is! I now fry it in olive oil and I can now eat a plateful of it!
There are so many benefits to this vegetable, it would take me a whole page to note them. In saying this, I have read that it is not advisable to eat fennel if you have had breast cancer, ovary or uterus or a history of endometriosis. Please get advice from your doctor.
If fennel is not your go to vegetable, substitute it with celery and it will be just as delicious!
Enjoy
RECIPE
Makes 4-6
80ml of olive oil
1 large red onion, sliced
600g white fish fillet, cut in large pieces
1k mix of mussels, scallops and peeled prawns
1 tablespoon of butter
1 fennel, sliced
1 bunch chives, sliced
2 handful of parsley chopped + some loose leaves for deco
2 large zucchinis, peeled and cut into matchsticks
300g cherry tomatoes, sliced
1/4 cup white wine
Salt & pepper
500g linguine of your choice
CRUMBS
60ml olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 large chilli, remove the seeds, slice and chopped
70g sourdough bread, chopped
CRUMBS
You will need a food processor for this recipe
Take the bread and place in processor and chop until it forms large breadcrumbs
Add one tablespoon of olive oil in pan and fry the garlic until just golden, add the chilli and fry for a few seconds. Add the breadcrumb and add an extra tablespoon of olive oil. Mix well. Fry for a minute and remove from heat. Set aside for a minute to cool off.
Add the mixture to the processor once again and process until fine in texture. Set aside to serve over seafood.
SEAFOOD
In a frying pan, coat it with butter, pace the scallops and allow them to golden, approximately 1-2mins on each side. Over cooking will make them rubbery.
Now add a tablespoon of butter to the pan and add the fish pieces, allow them to golden , approx 1-2mins on each side. Add salt & pepper. Set the pieces aside.
Add a tablespoon of olive oil in the existing pan and add the onion, fry for half a min and add the fennel. Fry for 5mins, turning regularly. Add the zucchini matchsticks, chives, parsley and wine. Combine well. Fry for a further 3mins.
Add the tomatoes, prawns and mussels. Place a lid over the pan and allow it to cook for a further 1-2mins until muscles open up, remove from heat.
LINGUINE
Cook as per the package instructions.
SERVING Place the linguine on the spring plate, add the seafood mixture over the top . Add the fish pieces around the sides of the serving plate. Scatter the scallops and mussels. Drizzle with pan juices and sprinkle the crumbs over the top. Decorate with some parsley and it is ready to be served.