Soup
Fennel Potlikker
Fennel, onion and celery simmer into a light broth with a splash of anise-flavored Pernod. Strain it before using it to cook grits or pearl barley.
- Yield
- 3 cups
- Cuisine
- Southern American-inspired
Bring it to the table
Soften the vegetables before simmering
Start the onion, fennel and celery in olive oil. Once they soften, add Pernod and let the liquid reduce before pouring in the water for the simmer.
At the table
Measure the strained broth for shrimp and grits or a spring barley bowl. Save fennel stems and fronds separately if you plan to make the shrimp dish.
Before you start
Gather your ingredients.
Full quantities and serving adjustments are in the recipe card below.
See the ingredient checklist
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion — chopped
- 1 large fennel bulb — cut into 8 wedges
- 1 stalk celery — chopped
- 1 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt — or use half as much Morton kosher salt
- 2 tbsp Pernod
- 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 5 cups water
A few useful notes.
The final volume depends on evaporation. Measure the strained broth before using it in another recipe.
The cooking plan
How to make Fennel Potlikker.
Warm the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, fennel, celery and salt. Stir frequently for about 4 minutes, until the vegetables turn translucent.
Add the Pernod and red pepper flakes. Stir for about 1 minute, until most of the liquid has evaporated.
Pour in the water and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 45 minutes.
Strain through a fine sieve into a heatproof jug or bowl, discarding the solids. The base batch makes about 3 cups. Use as directed in your dish, or cool promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours.
Let’s cook
The full recipe.
Check off ingredients as you get them ready.
Changing servings? The ingredient list scales automatically. Adjust quantities named in the steps to match, and choose pans and cooking times for your batch.
Fennel Potlikker
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Ingredients
Equipment
Equipment images are illustrative. Exact products may vary.
Instructions
- Warm the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, fennel, celery and salt. Stir frequently for about 4 minutes, until the vegetables turn translucent.
- Add the Pernod and red pepper flakes. Stir for about 1 minute, until most of the liquid has evaporated.
- Pour in the water and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 45 minutes.
- Strain through a fine sieve into a heatproof jug or bowl, discarding the solids. The base batch makes about 3 cups. Use as directed in your dish, or cool promptly in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours.
Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!A couple of useful answers.
What can I make with the broth?
Use it as the liquid for the linked shrimp-and-grits dish or the spring vegetable barley bowl.
Do the vegetables stay in the broth?
No. Strain the broth after simmering and discard the cooked solids.
Keep the good food going
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