Fennel is an underused vegetable in most home kitchens. It may sound off-putting to describe its flavor as licorice; personally I hate black licorice, but I love fennel. It’s good raw, sliced thin for a salad dressed with salt and a citrus juice of some sort. It’s also great when cooked until soft, which can be done on the stove top or in the oven. It is also an incredibly versatile plant — the bulbs are good for eating, the fronds are used like herbs, the seeds are a popular spice, and fennel pollen is used as well. Why aren’t you eating more fennel?