Braised fennel with citrus and cider

Braised fennel has a wonderfully subtle flavour, not very strong and more like a braised onion, with just a hint of fennel.  The citrus adds a lift to make this a fabulous side for pork, chicken or beef.  It cuts the richness of the meats as well.  The pairing of fennel and citrus is a great flavour combination.  Both are at their peak in winter – and so braising the fennel makes a wonderful winter vegetable dish.  This braise makes a good vegetarian dish and also an excellent side dish to roast chicken or pork.

Serves 6

Wash the fennel bulbs and trim the green fronds, reserving for later. Cut the bulbs length-ways into slices about 1cm thick, leaving in the core, so the slices don’t fall apart. The fennel will become amazingly soft and delicious after the braising.
Choose a wide, lidded saucepan that will hold all the fennel in a single layer. Pour in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and place over a medium-high heat. Add the fennel slices, season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and nicely caramelised.
Add the cider, lemon juice and orange juice and reduce until almost all the liquid has evaporated. Add the citrus zests, thyme, bay leaf and garlic, then pour in enough chicken stock or water to just cover the fennel. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat to a slow simmer and add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Cover with a cartouche, that is a circle of baking paper, pressing it directly onto the fennel, then put the lid on the saucepan and braise for 20-25 minutes or until the fennel is soft. By the time the fennel is ready, the liquid should have reduced to a sauce.
Serve the fennel on a platter or large plate, drizzled with the sauce and scattered with the chopped parsley and some tiny fennel fronds and the crumbled feta.