Close-up of several fresh fennel bulbs with pale white bases, long green stalks, and feathery fronds filling the frame. The fennel is piled together in dense green foliage.

There’s something of a fennel glut happening on the farm at the moment! We have been including it in take home meals, soups and pickles, as well as offering them for a reduced price through the farm shop. One of the benefits of eating with the seasons, with the added benefit of enjoying produce when it’s at its best.

The recipe that follows has been a particular favourite at home, although we make it with whatever citrus is on hand, including lime.

Roasting-tin chicken with fennel and citrus by Bee Wilson

This, adapted from Bitter Honey by Letitia Clark (a cookbook of Sardinian food which helped keep me sane during the first lockdown), is one of my most made roasting-tin meals. I find it comforting and uplifting at the same time.

Crispy skin on chicken thighs cook in a tray with fennel (both seeds and vegetable), white wine, citrus and dijon mustard. The fennel becomes impregnated with the wine and the chicken fat until it is meaty and sweet and sour.

If you decide to scale this up when cooking for more people – which is a great idea – don’t scale up the liquid too much or the chicken will drown in it. If you triple the amount of chicken, only double the liquid.

Makes 2 portions

unwaxed lemon zest and juice of 1

unwaxed orange zest and juice of 1

dijon mustard 2 tsp

extra virgin olive oil 2 tbsp

fennel seeds 1 tsp

white wine 200ml

chicken thighs 4, bone in, skin on

fennel bulbs 3, fronds reserved, bulbs cut into wedges

fat green olives a handful

If you are feeling organised, start the day before or a few hours ahead. Whisk together the citrus juice and zest, dijon mustard, olive oil, fennel seeds, wine and 1 teaspoon of sea salt, and put into a freezer bag along with the chicken. Chill for a couple of hours or up to 12 hours. This will help to tenderise the chicken. But in all honesty, I’ve often forgotten to do this and it still tastes great.

Either way, put the chicken and all the marinade ingredients into a roasting tin. Slice the fennel bulbs into wedges and add them, along with the olives. Put into the oven and switch it on to 200C fan/gas mark 7 for an hour, or until the fennel is meltingly soft and the chicken is bronzed (check after 45 minutes).

Taste the sauce for seasoning. If the wine has all evaporated away, splash some water into the pan to make a simple gravy. Taste again for seasoning. It shouldn’t need much, because of all that citrus and wine. Eat with some crunchy green fennel fronds on top and good bread for mopping.

Recipe and photo taken from The Guardian.

Overhead view of a metal roasting pan with browned chicken pieces and roasted fennel wedges in pan juices. The pan sits on a gray surface with charred edges visible around the rim.

Close-up of a pale white flower with a purple center and dark stamens. A terracotta pot filled with soil and green foliage appears in the background.

The anemones are getting into full swing right now. There’s no filter on this photo, the colours are amazing all on their own.

Trays of small potted herb plants sit on a wooden display shelf in bright sunlight. Handwritten labels on the shelf and tray read “Marjoram $4” and “Rosemary $4.”

The seedling stand out the front is well stocked with marjoram, oregano, rosemary and lavender among other things. All grown organically by Sally on the farm.

Overhead view of a stainless-steel counter with several metal mixing bowls holding dry ingredients, chocolate pieces, orange zest, and blueberries, each with a spatula. Nearby are bowls of yellow liquid with spoons, a jar of thick yellow mixture, and a bowl of peas and chopped vegetables.

All the offerings in the cafe are made using whole foods, including duck eggs from our own ducks, organic sugar and stoneground organic flour. The flavourings are mixed up every day, depending what’s on season and what is stashed in the freezer.