A Fish Story

[Jessica]

So, I planned to make Baked Fish with Potatoes, Tomatoes and Samoriglio Sauce. I'd never cooked with fennel before, but after checking with this board, I felt pretty confident.

I went to the grocery store late Friday, after a family dinner out. The sign above a likely-looking clump of green-and-white read "Anise," and it resembled the picture online, so I grabbed it and continued on my way.

Fast forward to Saturday evening. My DH is puttering around and I am starting dinner. I slice the potatoes and then look at the cutting board. I thought I had five small potatoes but I only see four. Seems odd, but I must have miscounted.

Then, I move to the fennel. I take off the rubber band and find a small, hidden tag. I did not buy fennel. No, I bought kohlrabi.

The DH hears my moan from the kitchen and offers to go to the store (it is near-zero outside) and hunt down the fennel.

He bundles up and heads out, while I begin making the sauce and the salad dressing. I pull out the lettuce to wash it, and...it is brown and slimy.

Sooo...my husband arrives at the front door, takes one look at my face and says, "What do you need me to go back out and get?"

He leaves to fetch salad greens (it is clear why I married him), and I go back to the dinner. I pop the potatoes and fennel in the oven, and begin to clean up the counters. One drawer won't shut--turns out that is where the potato fell http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

At 9 pm, we finally sit down to salad and fish. The upshot? I don't LIKE fennel. The dish was tasty but I would make it without fennel next time.

[ElinorC]

Sounds like some of my scenarios. DH's do come in handy don't they!

[Jessica]

My husband IS an angel. The store is only a mile or so away, but it was crowded and the weather was freeeeeezing.
I think Trip Two was partly for him, as he was looking forward to the pear-feta salad.
Several people had told me they do not like fennel, but I wanted to try it for myself. Now, I know that I do not like black licorice flavor in my chicken http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Susann]

Jessica-what an experience!

I have to say that my DH would volunteer to go to the store to pick up any ingredient I ask for. However, inevitably, he always come home with that one ingredient...and 5 bags of chips!

[Pat58]

As a fennel fan I have to jump in. I think the recipe is a little overwhelming for a first-time user. Fennel is very nice sliced and roasted with an equal amount of sliced onions - great as a side for salmon or roasted alongside a pork loin. The outer leaves can be tough and very "licorice-y" but when the vegetable is thinly sliced and cooked well, a sweetness comes to the anise taste. I also like to chop equal amounts of fennel bulb, onion and celery and saute with garlic as the base for an Italian meat sauce. The question is, what will you do with the kohlrabi, now? I suggest you cut off the leaves, peel the knobby bulbs, and slice the bulbs in a thick julienne. Wash and chop any tender leaves, discard stems and tough outer leaves. Saute the sliced bulbs in a little olive oil until crisp-tender, add the chopped greens and garlic, salt and pepper to taste. It has a cabbage-y taste. Or it will do well in a stir fry or anything you'd use something that tastes like mild, sweet cabbage. Finally, your husband is one nice guy!

[emilycat]

Thank you so much for your suggestions, Pat, but I am convinced that I hate fennel... I love every vegetable and fruit I can think of, but fennel makes my stomach turn. The first time I made it, I roasted it, thinly sliced, and couldn't even choke one piece down. I've also often detected "that icky taste" when it's been hiding in restaurant salads. Yuck! I think my tastebuds just will not be converted. Thanks, too, for your advice on the kohlrabi; I'll bookmark it for future reference!

Emily

[shoyski]

Jessica, I too have had a couple of evenings such as yours and love hearing that someone else has an equally wonderful husband like me!

By the way, it was fun to read your story. You are very good at making it interesting.

[emilycat]

Jessica,
Two things.

1. Your husband is an angel! Wow; how far away is the grocery store? Most men I know (I suppose I'm referring mainly to my dad and my boyfriend here) would just say, "oh,honey, can't you just make something else? Or make it without it, it'll be fine."

2. I came so close to posting on the other thread that I hated fennel, so that you might taste it before you put it in your dish. But then I thought, oh, I blab so much already; I can refrain from this one post. Sorry! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/redface.gif At least it turned out well!

Emily

[Jessica]

Thanks for the Kohlrabi tips, Pat58. I was just going to try it in a salad, but in this weather, a stir-fry sounds better.

[Jessica]

and thanks for the compliment, shoyski.