Fabulous Fennel

Fennel is now nice and fresh in the shops. It seems strange to me that we can eat it, when I was a child we were warned it was poisonous and not to touch it! It grew like a weed in places where we played or in the garden where it was yanked out by Dad and thrown away! It was certainly never ever used in cooking!!! The type we now buy in shops is obviously a different variety..... But it really is a great vegetable with a unique flavour. In recent times I have developed a bit of a taste for fresh fennel. Last night I tried a chicken and fennel dish, really, really delicious and lovely with a spinach and tumeric side dish. But my most favourite dish made with fennel is Butter Baked Fish with Fennel and Peas. It 'ticks all my boxes' as it is so simple - posh to look at and the meal is cooked in one dish. It is best cooked in a metal dish - about the length of your fish fillets. If you have to use a glass or ceramic one, heat the dish first. The original recipe comes from Cuisine by Fiona Smith published in 2010. I have adjusted it a bit to suit our tastes. Although not exactly the best dish when you are watching your weight, console yourself there are few calories in the fish and the fennel!
(I was gifted a mandoline by a dear friend a few years ago. I thought at the time it would never get used but I was wrong, it is the most marvellous kitchen utensil and it gets used lots!)
Butter Baked Fish with Fennel and Peas
2 medium bulbs fennel (about 200g each)
2 cups of peas (frozen are fine just quickly defrost in the microwave)
4 thick fish fillets (about 150g of hapuka, blue cod or monkfish)
2 tbsp capers
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 lemon thinly sliced
100g butter from a firm chilled block ( do not use margarine - the flavour is not the same)
Preheat the oven to 220 degrees Celsius
Slice the fennel finely (the mandoline is perfect for this job). Spread over the base of the dish. Top with peas then the fish fillets. (I also add finely sliced potatoes with the fennel and cook both in the dish for about 5 minutes first, then add the other ingredients as stated). Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle capers over the fish. Arrange lemon slices over the top. Cut thin slices of butter and cover the entire surface of the fish with plenty as it flavours the fish and vegetables.
Bake for 20 minutes or until the fish is cooked through.
Serves 4