Alternate title: What herb not to combine with fennel….
We cooked up our classic recipe for chicken marsala Friday night (gotta love that red plaid cookbook), but I wanted to do some different side dishes to change things up a bit. You know, since I’m off carbs for a week and all, I decided to deny my family the pleasure of pasta as well. I’m just that kind of a gal.
Anyway, I settled on some roasted broccoli — there’s nothing better! — and a shaved fennel salad. I really wanted the fennel salad to be simple, so I could celebrate that cool, refreshing, sweet crunch I so love. I found this recipe for Shaved Fennel Salad that I thought would fit the bill.
And it really did, in most ways. The combination of the shaved parmesan cheese — slightly salty and sharp — with the gentle sweetness and hints of anise in the fennel was just right. Even the parsley was a good match (although I did add the last bit of fresh basil I had in the fridge too). What did not make the grade, though, was the thyme.
Thyme is delightful in nearly everything. I love its distinctive pervasiveness in stews, it’s my favorite herb to use in dressing for Salad Nicoise and it’s perfect in tomato tarts, on lamb chops … did I say just about everything?
I do not, however, think thyme should ever — ever! — be combined with fresh fennel bulb. There was just something so… off about the fennel and thyme combination. Instead of complimenting the fennel, the thyme overpowered it. And the sweetness of the fennel made the thyme taste a bit too earthy in this dish. It was just not a good combination and it honestly nearly ruined the recipe.
Instead of the thyme, I highly suggest fresh basil, which would also be delightful with the simple lemon / olive oil dressing while complimenting the flavors of the fennel as well.
Clacked by Debbie McDuffee
on Mar 23, 2009 @ 12:00 EST5EDT
