Natoora Italian Large Fennel

FLAVOUR IS A FRONTIERNatoora Italian Large Fennel - Although Italian fennel is available all year round, it is at its best during the colder months.- Graded exclusively for Natoora, we only receive the best of our grower’s crop in Campania, meaning very little wastage and consistent great quality: huge bulbs, with tender, compact leaves full of aromatic aniseed flavour.   Take it further- Slice thinly and add raw to salads at the last minute to preserve its crunchy texture. - Boiled and finished in the oven for gratins. Natoora's radical approach to seasonal sourcing is shaping the future of food- We are revolutionising the food system. - We work direct with growers who value flavour, biodiversity and heritage over yield.  - We give them the support they need to build a better future for food, rooted in small scale, sustainable agriculture that gives back to our planet."Winter is when the fennel is finest, and I revel in it: I roast it; make a gratin with it; add it to stews and to traybakes; and eat it raw in salads. True, I love anything in the aniseed arena, but even those who don’t (or who aren’t fond of its soft texture when cooked) can thrill to a raw fennel salad. You can just cut the halved and cored fennel into thin slices with a knife, but if you have a mandolin, plus a cut-resistant glove to go with it (my Game of Thrones glove!), so much the better: shave thin slices into a bowl, then finely grate over the zest of a lemon,  squeeze in some of the juice, sprinkle with Maldon salt, pour over a little amount Mellow Yellow Oil (or olive oil) and toss to mix before arranging on a platter with some of the fennel fronds scattered on top. For utter beauty (both to look at and to eat) slice a handful of radishes (very carefully) with the mandolin (and glove, of course) wafer thin (or cut them into long eighths) and toss these into the fennel salad, too. And in both cases, I highly recommend substituting the lemon with – when in season – Seville orange." Nigella Lawson