Farfalle with Fennel, Cream, and Herbs Recipe

For an ultra-creamy, intensely fla­vored dish, we started by sauteing thinly sliced fennel in butter until deeply caramelized and meltingly tender. Scallions provided a double dose of flavor-the minced whites, which we sauteed with the fennel, gave the sauce an aromatic backbone, while the thinly sliced greens added a bright, crisp touch and pop of color when stirred in at the end. Applying the same two-for-one phi­losophy to our fennel, we reserved the fronds, minced them, and stirred them in with the scallion greens for a delicate, herbal finish. Heavy cream turned our simple pasta dish into a luxurious, rich main course. When shopping, look for fennel that has the fronds still attached; the fronds add significant flavor to the final dish.

Farfalle with Fennel, Cream, and Herbs – Fennel

Trim fennel stalks and fronds; mince fronds and reserve. Trim bulb, cut in half, core, and slice into thin strips. Melt butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add fennel and½ tea­spoon salt and cook until soft and golden, about 20 minutes.

Farfalle with Fennel, Cream, and Herbs – Scallions

Mince scallion whites and thinly slice scallion greens; keep whites and greens separate. Stir scallion whites into skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in cream and simmer until thickened, about 8 minutes.

Farfalle with Fennel, Cream, and Herbs – Farfalle Pasta

Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve ½ cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return 1t to
pot. Chop ¼ cup tarragon, add to pasta with sauce, fennel fronds, and scallion greens, and toss to combine. Season with salt and pep­per to taste and add reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Serve.

Farfalle with Fennel, Cream, and Herbs – Fennel

Fennel adds an unmistakably bright flavor to many dishes. Raw fennel has a fairly strong anise flavor, but cook­ing works to mellow out its licorice
notes. No matter how it is cooked,
fennel is slightly sweet. Although each part-the bulb, stalks, and fronds­
has a different culinary use, for most recipes only the white bulb is used.
The stalks can be reserved for mak­ing vegetable broth, while the fronds can be minced and used as a garnish for dishes made with the bulb. When shopping, look for fennel with its long, thin stalks still attached and be sure
that the fennel bulb is creamy white and not bruised or discolored.

Farfalle with Fennel, Cream, and Herbs – Serving

Serves 4 – 6
2 fennel bulbs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter 8 scallions
2 cups heavy cream
1 pound farfalle
Fresh tarragon or mint