Easy and delicious. I turned the fennel half way through the cooking time so it wouldn't dry out. Finished it with the cut side up. Great sauce, even if you use milk instead of cream.
Fennel Gratin
Credit: Christopher Hirsheimer
SERVES 4
Combining fennel and parmigiano-reggiano is popular in Italy and Provence.
2 bulbs fennel, trimmed and halved lengthwise
2 tbsp. butter, cubed
2 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1⁄2 cups hot chicken stock
2 tbsp. heavy cream
Freshly grated nutmeg
1⁄4 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano
1. Preheat oven to 350°. Arrange fennel in a 10" baking dish, and scatter butter and garlic around fennel. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add hot stock and bake until tender and browned, about 1 1/2 hours.
2. Preheat broiler. Spoon cream over fennel, sprinkle nutmeg over cream, then sprinkle fennel with parmigiano-reggiano. Broil until golden, about 1 minute.
.jpg)
