Adapted from cooking.nytimes.com
1 pound (1 quart) potatoes
Beets from 1 bunch of beets
1 small onion, minced
2-3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
1 bulb fennel, raw, sliced into thin slivers
2 T sherry or red wine vinegar
1 T Dijion mustard
1/4 c plain yogurt
1/4 c olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Trim the beets into 1 inch chunks, toss with olive oil and place in a roasting pan. Roast until tender. Remove and let cool
Boil the potatoes in salted water until just fork tender. Remove and run under cold water. When cool enough to handle, cut into 1 inch chunks.
Combine the beets, potatoes, eggs and fennel in a bowl that can accommodate all of them.
In another small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and whisk until well combined. Drizzle the dressing over the potato and beet mixture. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper. Serve warm promptly, or allow to cool in the refrigerator before serving.
Pasta with Golden Fennel
Adapted from Local Flavors by Deborah Madison
Large fennel bulb
2 T butter
1 T olive oil
Grated zest and juice from 1⁄2 a Lemon
1 garlic clove minced
3⁄4-1 lb. fettuccine- or whatever pasta you prefer
Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
(We added a pinch of crushed red pepper on top- for some spice)
Quarter the bulbs, and slice thinly, even the core. Melt 1 T of the butter with the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the fennel and sauté over high heat, until browned slightly, 7 to 10 mins. Season with salt. Toss with lemon juice then add 1 cup of water. Reduce heat and cook, covered until liquid has evaporated. Add more water as needed until fennel is very soft and golden in color– about 25 mins in all.
Chop some of the greens (if there are any) with the garlic and lemon zest and set aside. When pasta is ready, add it to the pan with fennel along with the garlic, greens, and lemon zest combo. Season with salt and pepper and cheese to your liking.