3 bulbs fennel
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, sliced in thin strips
1 green pepper, sliced in thin strips
1 yellow onion, sliced in thin strips
6 cloves garlic, finely minced
5-6 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups red wine
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
3 tablespoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon honey or sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1. Slice the fennel bulbs in half vertically.
Cut off any stems sticking out from the bulbs. Trim the leaves
from the stems, cut the stems in two-inch long pieces, and
chop the leaves in one-inch pieces.
2. Heat one large frying pan and one wide saucepan or deep
frying pan at medium heat, and add 2 tablespoons of olive
oil to each.
3. Place the fennel bulbs, flat side down, in the large frying
pan. Cover the pan if possible. Add the mustard seeds to the
wide saucepan, and cover them with the onions and carrots.
Cook for 2-3 minutes without stirring.
4. When the mustard seeds start to pop, add 3/4 of the garlic
to the onions and carrots, and continue frying, stirring occasionally.
Flip or rotate the fennel bulbs on their sides, and continue
to rotate them every 3-4 minutes, adding olive oil when necessary.
5. After 3 minutes, add the pepper slices to the onions and
carrots. Add the remaining garlic and the chopped fennel stems
to the fennel bulbs. Continue to mix both pans and flip
the fennel periodically.
2. After 3 more minutes, add the wine, vinegar, parsley, honey
or sugar, salt, and pepper to the vegetables in the saucepan.
Bring to a simmer, mixing occasionally.
4. When the carrots and peppers are soft, add the flour and
half of the fennel leaves, and stir well. Add more flour or
water as desired, to obtain a gravy-like consistency. Turn
off the heat. Add the lemon juice, mix well, and let sit.
5. When the fennel bulbs and stems are browned on the outside,
remove from the heat.
6. Serve the fennel bulbs and sauce over brown rice, and sprinkle
with the remaining fresh fennel leaves.
