Petite® Fennel
Estimated Inventory, 4 oz : 0
This item was last sold on : 10/25/24
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Description/Taste
Petite® Fennel is comprised of small, thin stems with frilly, delicate fronds, averaging 10 to 12 centimeters in length. The fronds have a multi-branched appearance, similar to dill, and bear several slender, smooth, flat, and dark green leaves. Each frond also provides a tender, light, and feathery, slightly chewy texture. The narrow stems are pale green, smooth, and pliable with a crisp and subtly crunchy consistency. Petite® Fennel has a faint anise-like scent and contains a soft, mild, and herbaceous licorice flavoring with vegetal, sweet, and citrus nuances.
Seasons/Availability
Petite® Fennel is available year-round.
Current Facts
Petite® Fennel is a part of a specialty line of boutique edible greens grown by Fresh Origins Farm in San Diego, California. Petite® Greens are more mature versions of microgreens, harvested approximately 4 to 6 weeks after sowing, and Fresh Origins currently grows over 125 varieties. Petite® Fennel is an innovative creation developed for chefs to reimagine the way fennel is used in culinary dishes and mixology. Petite® Fennel embodies the essence of full-grown fennel stalks but captures the mature herb’s vegetal and licorice-forward flavoring in a tender, compact, and edible green. Chefs value Petite® Fennel for its ability to add color, flavor, and height to culinary preparations. Petite® Fennel can be placed individually on small plates as a procured garnish, or the fronds can be lightly torn and interspersed throughout the dish as a fresh flavoring. In addition to Petite® Fennel, Fresh Origins also offers Micro Fennel as a younger, more delicate alternative.
Nutritional Value
Petite® Fennel has not been studied for its nutritional properties. Like baby fennel fronds, the greens contain some potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, folate to produce red blood cells, and vitamin C to strengthen the immune system while reducing inflammation. Fennel also provides low amounts of fiber to stimulate the digestive tract, vitamin K to assist in faster wound healing, vitamin E to protect the cells against free radical damage, and magnesium, iron, calcium, phosphorus, and copper.
Applications
Petite® Fennel is best used as a bright and herbal finishing element on sweet and savory dishes. The greens are incorporated fresh at the end of the cooking process as the delicate leaves will wilt and not hold up to extended periods of heat. Petite® Fennel can add height, color, and flavor when garnished over seafood or seared meats, tossed into salads, or floated in soups and curries. The greens can also be minced and stirred into dips, folded into butter, or infused into vinaigrettes for a licorice-like flavor. Petite® Fennel complements roasted vegetables and tempura, and the fronds can be made into pesto, salsa, or added to pico de gallo as an unusual flavoring. The greens can also be served with egg-based dishes such as deviled eggs, omelets, and frittatas, layered over avocado toast, sprinkled into pasta, or added to stir-fries. Petite® Fennel has a versatile flavor, used as a flavor enhancer in a wide variety of cuisines and fusion food, but the anise-forward greens are well-known for their prevalence in Indian and Italian cuisine. In addition to savory preparations, Petite® Fennel can also be used as a garnish over desserts, dusted with sugar and egg whites and crystallized, scattered over cakes and tarts, or blended into ice cream. Petite® Fennel pairs well with seafood including crab, shrimp, and fish, meats such as poultry, pork, and beef, mushrooms, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, citrus such as lemon, lime, and orange, apples, beets, and other herbs including thyme, parsley, and basil. Petite® Greens will generally keep up to seven days when stored unwashed, dry, and in a container in the refrigerator. It is recommended to use Petite® Fennel immediately for the best quality and flavor.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
Fennel is native to the Mediterranean and has been a part of many legends and folk tales throughout history. In Greek mythology, Prometheus used a stalk of fennel to hide an ember of fire from Mt. Olympus and brought it to Earth for man to use. The story states that Zeus had forbid Prometheus from giving fire to man, as fire was reserved for the gods. Prometheus was the creator of humanity, and despite Zeus’s command, he brought fire to Earth in a hollow stalk of fennel, using a dry pith to keep the ember lit, and taught humanity how to use it for warmth and cooking. Zeus was furious when he learned of Prometheus’s defiant act and punished Prometheus by being tortured daily. Prometheus was eternally chained to a rock. An eagle, which is a symbol of Zeus, would come and eat his liver, and the liver would regenerate overnight for the entire process to be repeated daily. Experts believe the liver was chosen because culturally, Ancient Greeks believed emotions were stored in the liver.
Geography/History
Petite® Fennel was developed at Fresh Origins Farm in San Diego, California, the leading American producer of naturally grown microgreens and Petite® Greens since the mid-1990s. Fresh Origins has been using the mild Southern California climate year-round to produce robust, healthy, and flavorful Petite® Greens, and the farm closely partners with chefs to create innovative varieties with unique flavorings. Fresh Origins also has the highest level third-party-audited food safety program and is a certified member of the California Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement, which follows science-based food safety practices to promote transparency and honesty in production. Today Petite® Fennel can be found through select distribution partners of Fresh Origins across the United States, including Specialty Produce, and are also found through partners in Canada.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Petite® Fennel. One is easiest, three is harder.