Recipe No. 2 for May Spice of the Month - Fennel Seed 

Each month, we’ll be blogging out original and delicious recipes featuring one of our Reluctant Trading spices. The recipes are formulated exclusively for us by the super-talented and super-friendly Sarah Marshall.

So what’s our spice of the month, you ask? Drumroll please - fennel seed!

 

If you’re not completely familiar with this beautiful spice, or the amazing plant from which the seed comes, there is no need to frond. (That’s a little fennel humor for you. “Fronds” are the lacy green, top part of the fennel plant. BTW, all bad fennel jokes you come across are mine, and mine alone, and should not be blamed on Sarah.)

 

Fennel JoJos with Tzatziki Sauce

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JoJos Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon celery seeds
• 1 teaspoon Reluctant Trading Icelandic Flake Sea Salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons Reluctant Trading Whole Fennel Seeds
• ½ teaspoon rosemary
• ¼ teaspoon Reluctant Trading Tellicherry Peppercorns
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon annatto (or Reluctant Trading Rajasthani Paprika)
• 4 medium russet potatoes
• 3 eggs
• 4 cups vegetable oil

JoJos Preparation

Step 1

Line two baking sheets with brown paper bags. Grind celery seeds, Icelandic Flake Sea Salt, fennel seeds, rosemary, and Tellicherry Peppercorns in a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder until fine.

Step 2

In a brown paper bag, add flour, salt, annatto (or you can substitute paprika), and spice blend.

Step 3

Rinse and dry russet potatoes. Cut each potato in half by length, and cut each half into 4 slices, creating 1-inch wide wedges.

Step 4

In a large Dutch oven fitted with a lid, heat oil over medium high heat.

Step 5

Drop the potato wedges into the flour mixture, one at a time. Shake the bag to coat all sides of the potatoes, let rest in the flour.

Step 6

Whisk the eggs in a bowl.

Step 7

Coat the potatoes in the beaten eggs, letting any extra drip off; drop the potatoes back into the flour mixture. Shake the bag to coat all sides.

Step 8

Place the potatoes onto one of the baking sheets.

Step 9

When the oil is hot and shimmering, carefully place the potatoes into the hot oil, cover with the lid and fry for 5 minutes. Do not overcrowd the pot. If for some reason they don’t all fit, cook in two batches.

Step 10

Remove the lid and stir the oil, fry for 7-9 minutes with the lid off, remove potatoes once they are crisp and golden. Drain on the paper-lined baking sheet.

 

Tzatziki Sauce Ingredients

• ½ of large cucumber
• 1 teaspoon Reluctant Trading Icelandic Flake Sea Salt
• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon Marshall’s Habanero Carrot Curry Sauce (optional, but recommended!)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon Reluctant Trading Fennel Seeds, finely ground into powder with a mortar and pestle
• 1 tablespoon fresh fennel fronds (or dill)

 

Tzatziki Sauce Preparation

Step 1

Peel and grate the cucumber. Sprinkle with salt and let drain in a small strainer, for 15 minutes.

Step 2

Mix yogurt, garlic, habanero sauce, lemon juice, and fennel powder.

Step 3

Once water has released from cucumber, add to yogurt mixture and stir.

Step 4

Garnish with fennel fronds and enjoy!

About Sarah

Sarah is the owner of Marshall’s Haute Sauce. Her small batch sauce company grew from her love of gardening, and background in home preserving. Sarah is passionate about farmers, artisan producers, and canning seasonal ingredients. She spends her free time teaching canning classes, experimenting in the kitchen, and organizing a local canning club- Portland Preservation Society. Her love for canning and preserving all things local, inspired her to write Preservation Pantry: Modern Canning From Root To Top And Stem To Core. Be sure to check out Marshall’s Haute Sauce Variety Pack. Best hot sauce evah!

Reluctant Resources Used in this Recipe

• Fennel Seeds
• Marshall’s Habanero Carrot Curry Sauce (optional, but recommended for the Tzatziki Sauce!)
• Rajasthani Paprika
• Tellicherry Peppercorns
• Icelandic Flake Sea Salt
• Milton Modern Mortar and Pestle
• 100 Year Loom Tan Apron
• Corky Modern Glass Spice Jars
• Put a Lid on it Stoneware Salt Cellar

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Also, be sure to check out Sarah’s other fennel seed recipe this month for Fennel Pork Chops.