Earlier this year a monthly market started up in the North Kessock village hall. It’s comprised of only eight, maybe ten stalls at the moment but the selection of local veg, eggs, meat, baked goods and preserves is really very exciting indeed.
Along with the duck legs, cinnamon raisin bread, parsnips and cabbage that I picked up on my last visit, I also bought a couple of enormous fennel bulbs. Slightly confused as to how fennel can be grown locally at this time of year and wishing I’d asked the stall holder about it now but well, well – they were delicious. Made them the star of the show in two meals that week. This was the first:
Fennel, Onion and Pine Nut Spaghetti
(serves 2)
2 heaped tablespoons breadcrumbs (I used rye in the photo above but any type will do)
1 chubby garlic clove, chopped finely
Pinch of chilli flakes
1 tblpsn chopped parsley leaves
Finely grated rind of 1/2 lemon
Olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1 fennel bulb, fronds removed and reserved – bulb halved and sliced
50g pine nuts
30g raisins
Juice of half a lemon
150g spaghetti
- Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a frying pan. Add the breadcrumbs, garlic and chilli flakes and fry until breadcrumbs crisp up. Remove from pan and mix with the lemon rind, parsley and any fronds from the fennel.
- Add a little more oil to the frying pan along with the onion, fennel slices, pine nuts and raisins. Cook over a medium heat for 15-20 minutes until vegetables are soft and beginning to turn golden brown.
- Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti in salted water.
- Drain spaghetti and stir into the fennel mixture along with the lemon juice.
- Serve topped with the breadcrumb mixture.
A Wee Bit of Cooking 
That looks so good! Another must try recipe. I find myself checking out your recipe index before I go grocery shopping these days! I’ve started my vegetable garden for this year. Hopefully, I will have fresh out of the garden veggies before too much longer. I have never tried growing fennel before, but I sure would like to try some.
how exciting to have a farmers market and get along to it – I am spoilt for markets but none in walking distance and never get organised to go along but I am taken with your dinner – always looking for new ways to inspire me to eat more fennel so this is definitely on that list
This looks delicious! And how wonderful to have your own farmers market.
I do love dishes with that very Italian pine nut, raisin, breadcrumb combination but hadn’t thought to pair them with fennel. And since my other half took up breadmaking we’ve had lots of little packets of breadcrumbs stashed away in the freezer which would be perfect for this.
Delicious! Such a happy combination of flavors. I hope your market grows!
I saw your photo of this on Flickr and was really, *really* hoping you’d post it. What a delicious sounding combination. I’ve seen locally grown fennel in the last couple of weeks at my greengrocer’s (so that’s confusing). Will have to pick some up and give this a try-out.
My love for fennel has grown tremendously. This recipe is lovely. I, like Kathryn, will be trying it soon.
This gets a thumbs-up from me, I love fennel in any form.
Wendy (Wales)
Saw the recipe yesterday and today I bought the fennel, tonight shall be a wonderful feast. Thanks for your wonderful blog. Marty from the USA
This recipe sounds incredible-I have some fennel in the fridge.