At Blue Hill, the chefs serve these anise-scented, tart-sweet pickles with their homemade sausages and cheese or as a condiment for meats.

6–8 fennel bulbs
1 tsp. fennel seeds
1 tsp. black peppercorns
3 cups red wine vinegar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground turmeric
4–8 fresh thyme sprigs

1. Trim off fennel tops; discard. Thinly slice bulbs (use a mandoline slicer); you'll need 8 cups fennel. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add fennel seeds and peppercorns to dry skillet. Cook and stir until seeds are toasted and begin to pop, about 3 to 4 minutes. Carefully add vinegar, sugar, salt, and turmeric. Bring to boiling, stirring to dissolve sugar and salt. Remove from heat.

2. Pack fennel into 4 hot, sterilized pint canning jars (or eight 1/2-pint jars), leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. Add 1 thyme sprig to each jar. Pour hot vinegar mixture over fennel, leaving a 1/2-inch headspace. Discard remaining vinegar mixture. Wipe jar rims and adjust lids. Process in a boiling-water canner for 10 minutes (start timing when water returns to boil). Remove jars and cool on racks. Makes 4 pints.