I-hate-fennel Fennel Pickles

I hate fennel. Love licorice, love ouzo, loooove sambuca… But an anise-flavoured vegetable? No thanks. 

As the recipient of a CSA box, however, I find myself with a couple bulbs of fennel at least once a summer, and am always looking for things to do with them. Sometimes I give them away… And sometimes, to be perfectly honest, I let them get so sad and gross that they go straight from the fridge into the compost. 

But a couple weeks ago, when faced with two small fennel bulbs and no space in the fridge to continue to hide them, I did what I often do with random veggies: Chopped them up, added other flavours and some salt, and let it ferment.

Today I tasted my concoction and am so thrilled with it! It’s a delicious savoury pickle, with a hint of anise but mostly just salty and sour.

The lime gives it a kick of summer; I’ll eat this with tortilla chips, like a salsa. 

I-hate-fennel Fennel Pickles

• 2 cups chopped fennel
• 3/4 cup chopped sweet onion
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 tablespoons minced scapes or garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pickling salt
• Water to cover

Combine everything expect the water and mix well. Place in fermentation vessel of your choice; I used a 500 mL glass canning jar with an airlock lid. Add water until veggies are just covered, poking with a chopstick to get out the air bubbles. Cover and let ferment at room temperature for 1-2 weeks, or until action in airlock stops. Store in a cool place.