Fennel Seed recipes

Fennel seeds are a bit of an underdog in the spice world. Tasting mildly of licorice, fennel seeds have a distinctive flavour and aroma that people tend to love or hate, much like anise or caraway seeds. But it's worth becoming a fan of this distinctive spice, which can add character and dimension to recipes from Italian sausage to Indian curries.

Fennel is a hugely important spice in Indian cuisine, where it is an essential ingredient of the spice mixture panch phoron, and are often consumed as an after-meal digestive aid and breath freshener. You'll find it in Alfred Prasad's Peshwari lamb kebabs and in his onion bhajis.

Fennel seeds are an apt match for fish. Try it in Marcello Tully's cured salmon recipe, which combines fennel seeds with pink peppercorns to add a complex, anise-like note to the cure. Or add fennel seeds to a fish stew recipe as Luke Holder does, along with fresh fennel, star anise and tarragon.

Italian cuisine is also a good friend of fennel seeds, and you'll often find fennel seeds used in Italian sausages and tomato recipes. See how Galton Blackiston uses it in his tomato and chilli sauce to go with linguine.

To bring out the flavour of fennel seeds, grind them in a spice blender or mortar and pestle, or dry fry them in a frying pan on medium heat for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently.

Try a light sprinkle of whole fennel seeds over a pizza, or add crushed fennel and coriander seeds to the roasting tin with potatoes or winter veg.