Wild Sicilian Fennel
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Wild Sicilian fennel varies in size, depending on maturity and age at harvest, and averages in size from 15 to 30 centimeters in length. The stems and leaves are typically sold in small bundles in local markets and feature straight, cylindrical, and fleshy stems around 5 to 7 centimeters in diameter. The stems are characteristically pale green, elongated, and thick, revealing thin, striated layers. They are distinct from other fennel varieties as they do not showcase a swollen bulb at the base. The bottoms of the stems are typically brown, woody, and fibrous, removed before consumption. The leaves, also known as the fronds, are branched, slender, feather-like, and delicate. They have a dark green coloring and a soft, pliable, and airy consistency. The leaves release a light, succulent, and tender crunch when consumed. Wild Sicilian fennel leaves and stems are edible raw when young and release an aromatic, green, fresh, anise-like fragrance. The leaves have a sweet, subtly bitter, herbal, vegetal, and licorice-forward taste. Later in the season, Wild Sicilian fennel also produces edible yellow flowers and fruits, often mistakenly called seeds. Both the flowers and fruits can be eaten raw or dried and utilized as a culinary flavoring.
Seasons/Availability
Wild Sicilian fennel is harvested for its young, green fronds and fleshy stems in the late winter through early summer. The flowers are picked in the late summer through early fall, and the fruits, often called seeds, are collected in the fall.
Current Facts
Wild Sicilian fennel, botanically classified as Foeniculum vulgare, is an herbaceous perennial plant belonging to the Apiaceae family. Wild fennel species are distinct from commercial fennel as they notably do not have a swollen bulb at the base of the plant. The upright stalks topped with finely textured, frilly leaves can reach up to two meters in height and grow naturally among the hilly landscape of Sicily, favored as a seasonal culinary and medicinal ingredient. Wild Sicilian fennel is commonly known as Finocchio, Finocchietto, Finocchio di Montagna, Finocchio Selvatico, and Finocchietto Selvatico. In Sicily, Wild fennel is not commercially grown and is treasured as an ingredient that is natural and gathered from the wild. Different parts of the plant are collected at various points throughout the year, and the feathery leaves, also known as the fronds, are a traditional springtime ingredient treasured for its aroma and robust, fresh flavoring. Wild Sicilian fennel is only sold through local markets throughout Sicily and is utilized fresh or dried by consumers in a wide array of raw or cooked, sweet or savory culinary preparations.
Nutritional Value
Wild Sicilian fennel has not been extensively studied for its nutritional properties. The species is said to be a source of potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, calcium to build strong bones and teeth, and iron to develop the protein hemoglobin for oxygen transport through the bloodstream. The species is also thought to provide vitamin C to boost the immune system, vitamin A to maintain healthy organ functioning, magnesium to control nerve functions, and other nutrients, including phosphorus and vitamin B9. In natural medicines, Wild fennel fruits are steeped in boiling water to produce tea. This tea is believed to help detox the body, reduce swelling, and lessen gas in the digestive tract. Roman soldiers once consumed fennel tea before battle for courage. The fruits were also chewed as a method to reduce hunger pangs during fasting days in Italy, especially around Lent.
Applications
Wild Sicilian fennel has a fresh, herbal, green, and anise-like flavor suited for raw and cooked preparations. The fronds and stems are typically consumed fresh and can be washed, finely chopped, and tossed into salads. They can also be combined with olives or oranges in aromatic side dishes or paired with other ingredients as an herbal topping on crudité platters. Wild Sicilian fennel fronds can be used to flavor vinaigrettes and sauces, cooked into fritters, or added to omelets and frittatas with vegetables such as eggplant, zucchini, peppers, or leeks. In Sicily, Wild fennel is notably cooked into soups, especially in stews, legume soups, or minestrone. There is also a well-known casserole mixing Wild fennel into pecorino cheese, vegetable stock, and day-old bread. One of the most famous dishes utilizing Wild Sicilian fennel is pasta con le sarde or “pasta with sardines.” Fennel is mixed with cooked sardines, raisins, pine nuts, onions, and saffron and tossed with pasta such as bucatini or perciatelli to create a complexly flavored main dish. Wild Sicilian fennel fronds are also boiled to flavor pasta water or blanched and blended into a pesto variation. In addition to pasta dishes, Wild fennel is added to anchovy meatballs or bread-based meatballs, made into pate and slathered over mozzarella or bruschetta, or used as a flavoring for rich, fatty meat. The leaves are also infused into an Italian digestif known as Liquore di Finochietto or used to flavor other types of beverages such as flavored water and tea. Beyond the leaves and stems, Wild Sicilian fennel produces pollen-filled flowers used in spice rubs for meats or dried for extended use in culinary preparations year-round. The plant's fruits are also dried and ground into a powder for flavoring sauces, bread, crackers, cakes, cookies, and doughnuts. Wild Sicilian fennel pairs well with dried lemons, saffron, fish such as anchovies, seabass, or swordfish, nuts including almonds, pine, and pistachios, cheeses including parmesan, pecorino, and caciocavallo, cherry tomatoes, olives, mint, raisins, and meats such as pork, lamb, and duck. Wild Sicilian fennel should be immediately used for the best quality and flavor and will only keep for around one week when stored in the refrigerator wrapped in a damp paper towel. The fronds can also be preserved in oil, pickled, dried, or blanched and frozen for extended use.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Wild Sicilian fennel is deeply intertwined with the feast of St. Joseph, an annual spring celebration in Sicily. Saint Joseph is one of the patron saints of the island and was said to have prevented a famine in Sicily during the Middle Ages. Legend has it that a drought was threatening the island. Sicilians prayed for rain and begged Saint Joseph that if they were blessed with rain, they would honor him by hosting a banquet. Rain came and nourished the island, and the date of March 19th was selected to honor the saint. Sicilians view Saint Joseph as a symbol of love, family, and protector of the poor, and during the celebratory feast, food is shared and given among family, friends, and the poor as a sign of humility and hospitality. Wild Sicilian fennel is traditionally incorporated into Macco, also known as Maccu, a fava bean and fennel soup. Fava beans were said to be one of the crops that saved Sicilians from famine. Wild Sicilian fennel is also notably used in minestrone di San Giuseppe, a soup of vegetables, pasta, and legumes. This soup is served at the banquets during Saint Joseph’s Day, and fennel is used to brighten the soup’s overall flavor.
Geography/History
Wild fennel is thought to be native to the Mediterranean and has been growing naturally since ancient times. Several species of fennel are seen throughout the Mediterranean, and these plants are typically used in medicinal and culinary preparations. Written references to fennel are seen throughout the Ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman Empires, and the various species spread over time throughout the Mediterranean into Europe, Asia, and Africa. Wild Sicilian fennel was a favored foraged herb and was notably used among the Sicilian Jewish population. When they were forced to leave Sicily after the Spanish Inquisition in the 15th and 16th centuries, these populations moved into other regions of Italy, bringing their traditions and recipes utilizing Wild fennel. Later in the 17th century, Wild fennel was used throughout Italy as a flavoring to make dishes with old ingredients taste better. Giacomo Castelvetro, an Italian food writer, noted that soups and wine were often flavored with fennel to cover up the taste of items that had expired or had poor flavor. This was usually done by businesses to stretch their ingredients and save money. This led to the creation of the word “infinocchiare,” meaning “to fool someone, cheat, or hoodwink,” and the term is still used as an expression in the present day. Today, Wild Sicilian fennel remains a natural, ancient, and seasonal species throughout Sicily. The species thrives in dry, warm, and sunny regions and appears in fields, along hillsides, rocky soils, coastal areas, roadsides, and woodlands up to 1,200 meters in elevation. When in season, Wild Sicilian fennel is harvested by hand and is sold fresh through local markets throughout Sicily. It is also dried and stored as a culinary ingredient for year-round use in savory and sweet preparations. The Wild Sicilian fennel featured in the photograph above was sourced through Ballaro Market in Palermo, Italy.
