Fennel Pickles

Directions

1. 1
   Toast all the seeds in a pan till fragrant
2. 2
   Place water, vinegar, toasted seeds, sugar, salt, and lemon slices into a pot and bring to a boil.
3. 3
   Meanwhile, slice the stalks and fronds off the bulb. Trim the stalks and use a vegetable peeler to remove the more fibrous outer skin, then slice them in half. Reserve the fronds.
4. 4
   Slice the bulb down the middle from top to bottom. Remove the core.
5. 5
   Separate the fennel by it's natural layers, then slice each layer into 1-inch wide strips. I also like to take a vegetable peeler to the outermost layer since that can also tend to be a little more fibrous than the tender inner layers.
6. 6
   Once the brine is boiling, remove it from the heat. Add the fennel and fronds.
7. 7
   Allow to cool, uncovered.
8. 8
   Once completely cool, store the fennel and brine (being sure to keep all the seeds but remove the lemon) in a jar or air-tight container and place in the fridge. Wait 24 hours before eating. I don't know how long they stay good for, they never last long enough for me to find out.