Fennel Nicoise

Fennel Nicoise is a Provencal classic that treats fennel bulbs like you would tomatoes or peppers: slow braised in wine, olive oil, and aromatics until silky and sweet. The whole thing chills before serving, which makes it the kind of dish you actually want to make the day before.

The fennel gets a quick parboil first. That pre-cook softens the dense layers and takes the raw anise edge off, so by the time it hits the olive oil and tomatoes, it’s ready to drink in the wine and herbs. An hour under the lid is enough for the bulbs to turn meltingly tender and the sauce to reduce into something spoonable.

Skinning and seeding the tomatoes is worth the five extra minutes. Tomato skins shrivel into chewy curls during a long braise and seeds add unwanted bitterness. A quick dunk in boiling water slips the skins right off.

Chef Tips

• Save the fronds and mince them for garnish, they taste like dill and anise had a baby.
• Don’t rush the 60-minute simmer, that’s what turns the fennel silky.
• Serve chilled or at room temperature, never piping hot. This is a dish that improves as it sits.
• A generous splash of your best finishing olive oil over the top at serving time is a must.

Variations

• Add a handful of pitted black olives in the last ten minutes for a proper Nicoise nod.
• Toss in a sliced orange peel strip with the thyme for a citrus lift.
• Serve alongside grilled fish or lamb chops as an elegant warm-weather side.