Some of the best recipes are the simplest. This is one of them. When fennel is cooked long and slow like this, it becomes sweet and meaty. The perfect side dish to a spread of grilled meats, fish or anything really. The fennel can be made up to 2 days in advance. Keep the cooling oils and spiced to reheat and serve with the fennel.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 heads fennel, trimmed, tops reserved
• 2 tbsp each fennel seed, cumin seed, coriander seed
• Salt
• 1 tsp chilli flakes
• 200g goats cheese or feta
• 100g pine nuts, toasted.

METHOD

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C.
2. Using a shallow saucepan with a lid that will fit the fennel in it, add the oil and butter and place on medium heat.
3. Cut the fennel bulb into quarters and add to the pan. Season the fennel with salt and pepper and cook until lightly coloured on the cut sides. Add the spices to the pan and spoon the spices and cooking oil over the fennel. Keep the fennel cooking on the cut sides.
4. Cover with a lid and transfer the pot to the oven for 20 minutes.
5. Remove the pan from the oven and turn the fennel pieces over.
6. Return the pot to the oven, covered, for another 20 minutes or until the fennel is very tender but not falling apart. Add the pine nuts to the pot and stir through the cooking oil and spice.
7. Transfer the fennel to a serving plate, spooning over its cooking oil, spices and nuts. Crumble the cheese over, season with salt and pepper and garnish with reserved fennel tops.

Recipe by Tom Walton. Check out his website here & Instagram here.