The herb called fennel is indigenous to the mild climes of the Mediterranean basin, but its hardiness and opportunism -- not to mention its close association with humankind -- has fostered its spread as an invasive weed across much of Europe and North America. In California, for example, it grows commonly in feral roadside brambles. Fennel pollen is among the plant's products most coveted in cooking.
Fennel
Fennel belongs to a botanical family of much culinary renown, the Umbelliferae. Other heavy-hitters in the classification include anise, dill, parsley, carrot and celery. Like others in the family, fennel has tall hollow stems and wispy, slender leaves. In bloom, the tiny, multitudinous yellow flowers are clustered in numerous flat-topped structures called umbels. Several varieties of fennel are known, each with distinct characteristics. The Florence fennel, for example, is cultivated for its white, bulb-like stem base, while so-called "wild fennel" comes in both sweet and bitter incarnations, and lacks the bulb-like structure.
Pollen
Produced in late summer and early fall with the opening of the flowers, fennel pollen has an incredibly rich taste -- more intense but less strident than that of fennel seed. Depending on the variety, the sweet flavor is often reminiscent of that of anise. The otherworldly sensory delights of fennel pollen reflect the Italian name. Polline di finocchio selvatico, or "the spice of the angels." The most basic harvest method is to dry the flowers and tap out the pollen into bags, though commercial processors may use more sophisticated techniques. It is now available through specialty online stores, though because of the small amount of pollen extractable from a given plant it is usually comes with a hefty price tag.
Culinary Uses
Fennel pollen can be used in myriad ways in the kitchen. In a cooked dish, it is typically added right at the end as a finishing spice; heat destroys its flavor. The Spice House, a company specialized in herbs, spices and seasonings, notes that among the pollen's traditional uses in the Italian kitchen is as an ingredient in fennel pesto and olive-oil bread dip. It's often used in marinades for meats -- including the pork with which various fennel products are so associated in Italy -- and for seafood, or rolled with goat cheese. In "Field Guide to Herbs and Spices," Aliza Green suggests the pollen can be stored in the refrigerator for later use.
Other Fennel Uses
Fennel seeds are important ingredients in many pork cuts in Tuscany, such as the renowned finocchiona salami; fennel is finocchio in Italian. It is also commonly used in seafood dishes. In other parts of the world, fennel is equally coveted. The seeds often form part of the well-known, versatile Herbes de Provence seasoning mixture, for example. The swollen leaf-base of the Florence fennel is widely eaten, while the leaves of wild fennel can pack a rich flavor.
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