A Feast of Roasted Vegetables

My quest for eating fifty somethings I have never eaten before once again took me to the vegetable section of the grocery store and local fruit and vegetable store and I brought home a fennel bulb. I have never eaten one before, not so much because I hadn't heard of them, but because I really do not like the flavor of licorice.

But this year is all about pushing myself. Out of my comfort zone and experiencing new things. Which has been very enlightening. I've always known I like change. But I've liked it on my own terms. I hate when things at work get changed; it's hard to stay current and the change usually involves taking something easy and quick and turning it into something infinitely more time consuming and difficult.

So I took my fennel bulb, cut it in half, added a whole leek chopped in big pieces and a few carrots, slathered everything in olive oil and kosher salt and roasted them in a 400 degree oven till things started smelling like a chef lived here. I had to take the leeks out early because they cooked faster than the fennel, and I snuck a few bites, just to taste test. I've had leeks in soups before so I was surprised at the intensity of flavor that roasting brought out.

When a fork stabbed into the fennel with ease, I declared it done, and fixed myself a plate. And yes, it does taste like licorice. But a mild and sweet version. Along with the carrot and the leek, it was a melding of interesting flavors. One I highly recommend.