Sherry & orange caramelised fennel with goat’s curd

A lovely side dish for roast lamb (leave out the goat’s curd and it works well with pork and duck, too). Sherry is very good with both fennel and orange, and its sweetness is great against the tang of goat’s curd. If you can’t get curd, use a soft, creamy goat’s cheese.

SERVES 4 as a side dish PREP 10 mins COOK 30 mins EASY

4 medium fennel bulbs

15g unsalted butter

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

200ml medium sherry

1 tsp fennel seeds, bruised in a pestle and mortar ½ orange, zested and juiced

3 tsp granulated sugar

100g goat’s curd

10g hazelnuts, toasted and coarsely chopped 1 Trim the tips of the fennel bulbs, removing any little feathery fronds (keep these for later). Quarter the bulb lengthways and remove the coarse outer leaves, then cut each piece in half again lengthways.

2 Melt the butter in a large frying pan and add the olive oil. Cook the fennel wedges over a medium-high heat for 2 mins each side or until they’re golden – keep moving them around the pan so you get an even colouring. Add 125ml sherry and the fennel seeds, then lower the heat and cover the pan. Cook the fennel for about 7 mins, then add the orange juice and cook, uncovered, for a further 7 mins or until the fennel is tender but not collapsing (the wedges should keep their shape). Turn the heat up and cook until the juices have almost completely disappeared.

3 Add the sugar to the pan and cook for about 30 secs, turning the fennel wedges over, or until slightly caramelised. Add the orange zest along with the remaining sherry. Season and cook, turning the wedges, until the sherry has reduced and the wedges are coated and glossy, but not too dark.

4 Put the fennel on a serving plate and dot teaspoons of goat’s curd around it. Sprinkle with the hazelnuts and top with the reserved fennel fronds to serve.

GOOD TO KNOW fibre • 1 of 5-a-day • gluten free

PER SERVING 287 kcals • fat 16g • saturates 7g • carbs 12g • sugars 10g • fibre 8g • protein 9g • salt 0.4g