Baked Fennel With Bacon Cheese Recipes

FENNEL WITH CHEESE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Trim fennel and quarter.
• Cook in boiling water about 15 minutes, just until tender.
• Drain and turn into shallow baking dish which has been buttered with two tablespoons of the butter. Dot with remaining butter and sprinkle with cheese and pepper.
• Bake for about 20 minutes, or until cheese is golden.

BAKED FENNEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Clean the fennel, removing the upper fronds, and slice lengthwise into 1/2 inch slices.
• Set the feathery leaves aside to garnish the completed dish.
• Place in a saucepan and cover with milk.
• Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the fennel can be easily pierced with a fork.
• Remove the fennel and pat dry.
• Layer in a baking dish, drizzle with two tablespoons of the oil and add salt and pepper.
• Bake for about 20 minutes.
• Mix the remaining oil with the cheese and breadcrumbs, and sprinkle over the dish and continue baking until golden brown.
• This dish is great hot or at room temperature.
• Use the discarded feathery fronds to garnish, and serve.

THE BEST ROASTED FENNEL

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 475 degrees F.
• Pick 2 tablespoons of the tender green fronds from the tops of the fennel bulbs and set aside. Cut the remaining top and bottom from each fennel bulb, then cut the bulb in half lengthwise through the core. Use the tip of the knife to cut an upside-down "V" on the bottom of each bulb to remove most of the core, leaving just enough so the bulb stays intact. Cut each half through the core into wedges, about 1/4 inch thick.
• Add the fennel bulb, thyme, garlic, olive oil, red pepper flakes and 3/4 teaspoon salt to a large bowl and toss until evenly coated. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet.
• Roast in the oven until the fennel is very tender and lightly browned in spots, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter, top with the reserved fennel fronds and serve with the lemon wedges.

ROASTED FENNEL WITH PARMESAN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Lightly oil the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange the fennel in the dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then with the Parmesan. Drizzle with the oil. Bake until the fennel is fork-tender and the top is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Chop enough fennel fronds to equal 2 teaspoons, then sprinkle over the roasted fennel and serve.

BAKED FENNEL WITH GORGONZOLA

Steps:

• Rinse fennel. Trim off stems, and reserve about 1 cup of the tender green leaves. Trim any bruises or dry looking areas from fennel. Cut each bulb in half from stem through root end.
• Lay fennel bulb pieces in a 10 inch frying pan, and add broth. Cover, and bring to a boil on high heat. Simmer until fennel is tender when pierced, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer fennel to a shallow casserole, 9 to 10 inched wide; lay cut side up.
• Boil broth, uncovered, on high heat until reduced to about 1/2 cup. Stir in about half the fennel leaves. Spoon mixture evenly over fennel.
• Mash cheese with bread crumbs. Dot mixture evenly over fennel. If making ahead, cover and chill up to 1 day. Also wrap remaining fennel leaves in a towel, seal in a plastic bag, and chill.
• Bake casserole, uncovered, at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) until cheese begins to brown and fennel is hot, about 20 minutes. Tuck remaining leaves around fennel. Season to taste with salt.

BAKED FENNEL WITH PARMESAN AND THYME

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Boil 3 fennel bulbs, trimmed and split lengthwise, until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain fennel, cut side down, on paper towels, 5 minutes. Place fennel, cut side up, in a buttered 8-inch square baking dish and brush with 1 tablespoon softened butter. Season with coarse salt and ground pepper and top with 1/3 cup grated Parmesan and 4 sprigs thyme. Bake until cheese is golden brown, about 20 minutes.

BAKED FENNEL WITH PARMESAN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Cut the base off of the fennel bulbs, and cut a cone shape into the base to remove the core. You can see the core because it is whiter than the surrounding green. This is optional, but helps the fennel cook faster. Slice the fennel vertically (upright) into 1/4 inch thick slices.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the fennel, and fry for about 5 minutes. Stir in the half-and-half and creme fraiche until well blended. Transfer to a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top.
• Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the top is golden brown and the fennel is tender enough to pierce with a fork.

BLUE CHEESE BAKED FENNEL

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 350°F.
• Trim the green tops of the fennel bulbs and cut the bulbs in half.
• Use a little of the oil to grease a baking dish. Arrange the bulbs in the dish, with the flat sides uppermost.
• Use a pastry brush (or clean fingers!) to "baste" the fennel with the remaining oil. This will stop it from burning during roasting.
• Mix the seeds together and grind well.
• Crumble the cheese and mix with the seeds. It will form a kind of paste.
• Smooth ¼ of the paste on top of each fennel half.
• Roast for 30 minutes, until the fennel has softened and the topping is starting to go brown.

CHEESY BACON AND GRITS CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, stirring occasionally. Remove with a slotted spoon; drain on paper towels., Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, bring water, milk and salt to a boil. Slowly stir in grits. Reduce heat to low; cook, covered, until thickened, 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Stir in 1-1/2 cups cheese until melted. Slowly stir in eggs until blended. Stir in bacon, corn and pepper. Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese., Bake, uncovered, until edges are golden brown and cheese is melted, 35-40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. If desired, serve with avocado. , Freeze option: Cool unbaked casserole; cover and freeze. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove casserole from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake grits as directed until heated through and a thermometer inserted in center reads 165°, increasing time to 45-55 minutes.

CELERY AND FENNEL WITH BACON

Steps:

• Reserve 1/2 cup celery leaves. Remove strings from celery ribs with peeler, then cut celery ribs into 3- by 1/4-inch sticks.
• Reserve 1/2 cup fennel fronds. Trim fennel stalks flush with bulbs. Cut any brown spots from outer layers and quarter bulbs lengthwise. Cut out most of cores, leaving enough to hold layers together. Cut bulbs lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide slices.
• Have ready 2 large bowls of ice and water. Cook celery ribs in a large pot of boiling salted water 2 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to 1 bowl of ice water. Return water to a boil and cook fennel bulbs 2 minutes, then transfer to second bowl of ice water. When vegetables are cool, drain both in a colander.
• Cook bacon in a 6- to 8-quart heavy pot over moderate heat until crisp, then transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Add shallot to bacon fat and cook, stirring, until softened. Add celery and fennel and cook, stirring, until vegetables begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add broth and simmer, stirring frequently, until vegetables are barely tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Coarsely chop reserved celery leaves and fennel fronds. Remove pot from heat and stir in leaves, fronds, parsley, bacon, and salt and pepper to taste.