Roasted fennel. Made in Vermont, requested from LA, blogged in the UK

We are now back home having neatly avoided any chaos created by hurricane Irene. The same cannot be said for our friends the Priceys journey home which took about a day longer than it should have done and included unwished for visits to Niagra falls, Pittsburgh and Las Vegas before eventually getting back to LA.

We made this fennel by Skye Gyngell for the 'Last supper'

Here's the recipe

If you're not serving this with the pork, it's also a perfect marriage with any white fish, chicken, or – because it's at its best at room temperature – simply chopped and tossed in a salad with olives and tomatoes. And I'd be just as happy to eat it on its own.

Ingredients

4 fennel bulbs
1 dried red chilli, finely sliced
1/2tsp fennel seeds
The zest and juice of one unwaxed lemon
60ml/21/2fl oz extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas6. Remove the tough outer layers of the fennel and cut into quarters lengthwise.

Place the fennel in a bowl and crumble over the chilli, season with salt and pepper and toss through the fennel seeds.

Squeeze over the lemon juice and zest and dress with the olive oil – toss well to combine.

Place in a baking tray, cover with foil and place on the middle shelf of the oven; roast for 30 minutes then remove the foil and return to the oven for a further 15 or 20 minutes. Remove and serve.

Comments

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