By David Harbilas

Fennel is one of the most underappreciated and versatile vegetables available.

Its spectrum of flavors runs from bitter to sweet to mild to almost offensive, depending on how it’s used.

I prefer it on the sweet side, which usually means cooking slowly.

This sauce, like many featured here, is very simple in that it requires little more than the three ingredients in its title.

The trick, however, is to combine them in a way that highlights their inherent qualities. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, roasting is often the best way to concentrate sweetness while also creating a tender mixture that lends itself to a silky puree. This sauce is best used with fish, pork, and chicken.

Yields about 4 cups of sauce

• 4 fennel bulbs
• 6 globe tomatoes Read the rest of this entry »

By David Harbilas

A friend taught me how to make this sauce when we were cooking together at an Italian restaurant about a year ago.

It’s a fairly simple method and only needs a blender with a powerful motor to make it work.

It goes great with pasta, chicken, or fish, and as I recall we used to serve it with pasta and chicken. Basil is, of course, another great partner.

Makes about 1 quart of sauce

• 1 cup of sundried tomatoes
• 2 cups of white wine
• 1 large shallot, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, whole Read the rest of this entry »