Maggie Beer's Fennel with Goats' Curd Salad

Ingredients

40g unsalted butter
1/3 cup (80mL) extra virgin olive oil
1 large, plump fennel bulb, trimmed and quartered, fronds reserved
4 fresh bay leaves
1 meyer lemon (optional), cut into 6 wedges
Sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup verjuice or fruity white wine
80g goats' curd
Baby purple basil, or freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley, to serve

Method

Melt the butter over low heat in a heavy-based frying pan until nut-brown, then add a splash of the olive oil and gently seal the fennel quarters on both sides.

Add fennel fronds, bay leaves and lemon, if using, then season with salt and pepper, add the verjuice or white wine and remaining olive oil, then cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until cooked through.

Remove the lid, then increase the heat to high and cook for another 5 minutes, or until fennel is coloured and pan juices are reduced to a syrup.

Remove the fennel, season to taste and serve as a warm salad, topped with spoonfuls of goat’s curd and baby purple basil or chopped parsley.

Credits: Extract from Maggie Beer’s Autumn Harvest Recipes by Maggie Beer, photography by Mark Chew, published by Lantern on 24 February 2016, RRP AU$29.99.

Photo Credits: Extract from Maggie Beer’s Autumn Harvest Recipes by Maggie Beer, photography by Mark Chew, published by Lantern on 24 February 2016, RRP AU$29.99.