Name: Braised Fennel
Total time: PLACEHOLDER
Ingredients: 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1/2 teaspoon sugar; Salt; 2 fennel bulbs , trimmed of stalks, halved, and each half cut into 4 wedges; 1/4 cup dry white wine; 1/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth; 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves; 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves (optional); 1 teaspoon juice from 1 lemon; Ground black pepper

Why This Recipe Works

We prepared the fennel for our braised fennel recipe by trimming the stalks, halving the fennel lengthwise, and then cutting each half in four wedges. We decided to brown the fennel on their cuts sides only, thereby eliminating the need to flip, but first we sprinkled sugar into the skillet before adding the fennel—the sugar’s caramelization was compensation for flavor lost by browning the fennel on only the cut sides. For braising liquids for our braised fennel recipe, we liked a combination of chicken broth and white wine—the broth gave the sauce backbone while the wine added acidity—and we threw in some thyme for savory herbal notes.

Before You Begin

Don't core the fennel bulb before cutting it into wedges; the core will help hold the layers of fennel together during cooking.

Instructions

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt evenly over the bottom of the skillet and add the fennel, cut side down, in a single layer. Cook, shaking the skillet occasionally, until golden brown, about 10 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed if browning too quickly.

Add the wine, broth, and thyme. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the fennel loses its vibrant color, turns translucent, and a paring knife inserted into the root end meets little resistance, about 15 to 18 minutes.

Gently transfer the fennel to a warmed serving platter, leaving the liquid in the skillet; cover the fennel and set aside. Return the liquid to a simmer over medium-high heat and cook until it has a syrupy sauce consistency, 1 to 2 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the remaining tablespoon butter, parsley (if using), and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the sauce over the fennel and serve immediately.