Recipe: Lemon Fennel Cookies (using fennel seeds)

LEMON FENNEL COOKIES

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon ground fennel seeds*
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 lemon, grated peel (colored part only)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder

Beat butter, fennel, salt, lemon peel and sugar until light and fluffy. Thoroughly beat in egg; set aside.

Mix flour with baking powder. Gradually beat into creamed mixture. Refrigerate until dough can be shaped into 1-inch balls.

WHEN READY TO BAKE:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a cookie sheet.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls and put on prepared cookie sheet. Press each with the bottom of a glass covered with a damp cloth until flat.

Bake at in preheated oven until edges are slightly brown, 8 to 10 minutes.

*Grind whole fennel seeds with mortar and pestle to release the aroma.

Makes 3 1/2 dozen cookies