Here is my easy and yummy fennel escabeche recipe! You will love this lukewarm fennel salad with orange juice and vinegar. And it is also the perfect side dish for pan fried duck or freshly grilled fish. Excellent!
Maybe you immediately think of a fish dish when you read the word escabeche.
Well have you ever heard of vegetable escabeche then? This is a recipe that I have probably made a hundred times before I guess.
Fresh Fennel
And just in case you wouldn’t have noticed before: fennel is in my top 3 of most favorite vegetables.
Do you like fennel?
I actually know quite a fair amount of people who hate fennel. No idea why because I simply can’t get enough of that vegetable. I like to add it to a risotto with lemon for instance.
So what’s your favorite fennel recipe?
Easy Escabeche Recipe with Fennel & Orange
The sweet and sour marinated fennel slices are a hell of a taste bomb.
The true secret lays in the orange and vinegar marinade.
I also added raisins for extra crunch and flavor contrast. Maybe I should add a handful of crushed pistachios, pine nuts or almonds as well next time to make it even a tad creamier.
Make sure to keep the sliced fennel crunchy, don’t overcook it.
I think that this fennel escabeche best when you eat it lukewarm or cold.
Serve Lukewarm or Cold
The flavors are way more punchy and vibrant. This escabeche recipe is also the perfect side dish for pan fried pink duck breast or freshly grilled fish.
Do you like duck breast?
Or don’t you know where or how to start?
Duck
Then also check out my step by step picture recipe on how to cook and sear duck breast! I love a good pan seared duck breast.
Again, don’t overcook it or the meat will be hard as bullets. Also give the seared meat enough time to rest to become tender. Cooked duck should be a little pink and juicy in the middle.
Excellent!
Enjoy!
Easy Fennel & Orange Escabeche Recipe
- 1 large fresh fennel
- 1 small fresh orange
- 2 large garlic cloves
- a handful raisins
- a handful fresh dill chopped
- 3 to 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
- olive oil
- chili powder
- salt
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Peel the orange and then transfer the wedges to a blender. Blend well until you get a smooth mixture. Put this aside until need later on in the recipe.
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Wash the fennel well and cut off the green sprigs. Put them aside for garnish if you like. Then slice the fennel bulb very thinly (preferably with a mandoline slicer).
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Peel the garlic cloves and chop them up finely. Pour a generous splash of olive oil in a large non-stick skillet. Add the chopped garlic and place the pan over medium-high heat.
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Cook the garlic for 3 minutes until fragrant. Then add the finely sliced fennel. Season with a little pinch of chili powder and salt.
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Stir well and cover the pan. Let the fennel soften just a little for about 4 to 5 minutes until warmed through but still crunchy. Then add the blended orange puree and red wine vinegar.
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Cook the fennel for another minute and then take the pan off the heat. Stir in the green fennel sprigs you kept aside and the raisins.
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Stir again. Then check the seasoning and add extra chili powder, salt or vinegar to taste if necessary. Let the fennel cool down a little. Stir regularly. Transfer the fennel escabeche to a shallow dish. Serve lukewarm.
