Ingredients

2 fennel bulbs

1/2 cup Chicken Stock

2 tablespoons whipping cream or milk

1/4 teaspoon dalt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese.

Braised Fennel

Serves 4

Printable Version

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Cut the leafty stalk s off the fennel bulbs. Trim the root ends - not too much, just enough to remove the brown from the end. You want enough of the root left to hold the pieces of fennel together. Cut or scrape away any brown spots from the outside of the fennel bulb. Cut each bulb lengthwise into quarters.

Mix the chicken stock and cream of milk in an 8 inch square baking dish. Place the fennel in the pan and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and sprinkle with the cheese. Return to the oven and bake an additional 20 minutes. Drizzle the fennel with the pan juices and serve.

Cook's Tip:

The pan juices can be turned into an elegant sauce by draining them into a small saucepan and bringing to a boil over medium-high heat . Remove the pan from the heat and stir in a slurry of 1 1/2 teaspoons chicken stock mixed with 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch. Return the pan to the heat and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Serve the sauce over the fennel or puddle it on the plate and top with the fennel to show off the nice browning of the cheese.