Italian Spices: Wild Fennel

Italian spices: wild fennel grows exuberantly in Le Marche region. This spontaneous herb is often used in the kitchen to give flavor to meats and fish.

At the end of the summer, is common to notice in the fields and at the side of the roads wild fennel plants, they carry tiny yellow flowers on long spiky stems. If you rub the flowers between your fingers, they release an unmistakable aniseed smell. Wild fennel adds an intense flavor to meats and fish. It is often used with pork so, dishes prepared with this herb, are said to be “in porchetta” or pork style. Typically wild fennel is used with crocette (sea snails) and stuffed rabbit.

Here is one of the many version of coniglio in porchetta (stuffed rabbit).

Ingredients:

150 gr. of pancetta (bacon) and prosciutto crudo (cured ham)

3 springs of wild fennel

some cloves of garlic

extra virgin olive oil

a glass of dry, white wine for the rabbit and one for you

salt and pepper

Prepare the stuffing: finely chop the rabbit liver, pancetta, prosciutto, fennel and garlic and lightly fry in a pan with a little oil.

Open the rabbit, bone and wash it. Season it on the inside and out with pepper and salt. Line the inside with a couple of pancetta slices, add the stuffing and tie the rabbit around it.

Place it in a roasting pan with a drizzle of oil, add a glass of wine, two of water and place it in the oven at 200 C. Let roast for about 40 min.