Serves 4
This is a classic River Café recipe. Slow braising brings out the natural sweetness and aniseed flavour of organic fennel. Supermarket varieties might need a helping hand, in which case you could add a couple of star anise along with the rosemary and garlic.

2 large fennel bulbs
3-4 tbsp olive oil
3-4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
Juice of half a lemon
Freshly ground salt and pepper

1 Preheat the oven to 180C/Gas 4.
2 Cut the fennel bulb in half and then cut away the tough core. Then cut in half again to form wedge-shaped pieces.
3 Heat the oil in a large frying pan and sauté the fennel until it is golden brown on all sides. Transfer to a roasting tin or open casserole dish as it is cooked. Add the rosemary and garlic to the pan and cook for a couple of minutes to soften before sprinkling over the fennel. Season with salt and pepper.
4 Transfer to the oven and braise for 45-60 minutes. Shake the pan a couple of times during cooking to turn the fennel.
5 Remove from the oven, squeeze over a little lemon and serve immediately.

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