For the millionth time, I am raving about all the fresh, flavorful goodness you can find at market about this time of year. I love to make up things as I go through the store and see what looks and smells delish. I was watching Bobby Flay's Grill It a couple of days ago, and he made a grilled fennel and orange salad. It looked really yummy but...I knew that Rich would not go for something like that...fennel and orange? He'd think I had lost my mind! :) However, when I want Rich to try something new (such as fennel) I know how to "sugarcoat it" as I figure out a way to incorporate bacon, potatoes, cheese, corn, etc. "Man food" usually does the trick when I want him try things. :) So, with fennel on my mind, I found a great piece of it. Baby honeygold potatoes were next, then I found some fresh basil and white corn on the cob. Fresh garlic, then applewood smoked bacon was next. And of course, what is man food without a little garlic and herb Irish butter (I don't use real butter very often.) I had a great time making up as I went...and dinner turned out amazing! I also made a sun-dried tomato & pepperoncini salad. Yum.
Basil, potatoes, corn, fennel, garlic and Irish garlic & herb butter
Applewood smoked, thick cut bacon
First, start prepping all the fresh stuff--slice the fennel, peel and crush the garlic. I used my mortar and pestle to do this.
The garlic, just before chopping and crushing
This is when I love my Dutch oven. I put the bacon in with 1/8 c of the butter on medium and let it gently start cooking.
While the bacon was cooking I cut the fresh corn off the cob. Also I cut the potatoes in half. Then, I removed the bacon from the dutch oven so that it wouldn't overcook. It cooked about 3-5 minutes total.
In my pan: garlic, corn, potatoes, and fennel, to cook in the bacon drippings and butter. I let the rest of the stick of butter melt into it. I let everything cook on medium for about 8 minutes. The oven was ready on 400 degrees. I stirred in the bacon, then covered my dutch oven and put it into the oven.
The dish roasted for 20 minutes. And it was successful: Rich tried, and liked, fennel. :)
