Onion And Fennel Gratin Recipes

FENNEL GRATIN

Steps:

• Toast the bread crumbs: Heat oven to 250 degrees. Remove crust from bread and slice 1/4 inch thick, then tear slices into 1/2 inch pieces. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until completely dry and brittle, but without any color. Let cool, then break into roughly pebble-size pieces and place between 2 sheets of parchment paper or in a plastic bag. Gently roll a rolling pin across the surface several times until crumbs have a rustic texture - larger than a grain or rice but smaller than a pea. Measure 3/4 cup crumbs and set aside. (Reserve leftover crumbs for another purpose.)
• Meanwhile, prepare the fennel: Chop 3 tablespoons fronds and set aside. If you're using large bulbs, cut lengthwise into quarters; if you're using small bulbs, cut lengthwise in half. Leave base fully attached in both instances. Turn fennel pieces cut side up and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat your largest sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add oil and butter. Then, working in batches to avoid overcrowding, add fennel cut side down and sear until deep chestnut brown, 2 to 3 minutes. If fennel is quartered, flip pieces to sear the other cut surface for 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer fennel to a large Dutch oven.
• Add stock and wine to Dutch oven, place over low heat, cover and simmer until fennel is fork-tender but not mushy, 20 to 25 minutes. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, place fennel neatly in a 9 by 13-inch broiler-proof baking dish and set aside.
• Prepare the bread crumb topping: In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, melt butter. Add bread crumbs, garlic paste, fennel pollen and pepper and cook, stirring often, until crumbs are pale gold, 2 to 3 minutes. Don't let them take on too much color. Remove pan from heat and stir in chopped fennel fronds.
• Make the cheese sauce: In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and whisk in flour. Whisk for about 1 minute, then add garlic paste. Whisk until flour begins to take on a pale gold color, 2 to 3 minutes; you want a shade between off-white and not quite beige.
• Gradually whisk in milk. Once all of the milk has been added, whisk vigorously until sauce is completely smooth; turn down heat to medium-low and simmer, whisking periodically to avoid scorching, until sauce fully thickens, 10 to 12 minutes. Turn off heat, whisk in Gruyère, and season with salt and pepper. The sauce should be very thick.
• To assemble: Place a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat to 350 degrees. Pour cheese sauce over fennel (very gently reheat sauce if cold), and sprinkle with Gruyère and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bake until bubbling and beginning to brown, 15 to 20 minutes.
• Remove gratin from oven and scatter bread crumb topping in an even layer across the top. Continue to bake until gratin takes on a deep golden hue, about 5 minutes. If it needs more color, place dish under the broiler for 1 minute, watching it very carefully to ensure nothing burns. Serve immediately.

FENNEL GRATIN WITH WALNUT-THYME BREADCRUMBS

Steps:

• Place rack in upper third of oven; preheat to 400°F. Place fennel, onion, cream, butter, and 1 Tbsp. thyme in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine. Transfer to an 8x8" baking dish; bake until fennel is crisp-tender and cream is reduced by half, 30-35 minutes.
• While fennel is baking, combine breadcrumbs, walnuts, and oil in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss until bread is evenly saturated and walnuts are coated. Add Parmesan and remaining 1 Tbsp. thyme and toss again to combine.
• Scatter breadcrumb mixture evenly over gratin and bake until breadcrumbs and walnuts are deep golden brown and fennel is tender, 12-15 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

FENNEL SOUP GRATIN

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the fennel, onions, and thyme and saute for 20 to 25 minutes, until the onions and fennel are very tender and caramelized. (You can add a little water if it starts to stick.) Deglaze the pan by adding the brandy; reduce the heat to medium and cook for 3 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan. Add the sherry and white wine and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, salt, and pepper and continue to cook, uncovered, for another 15 minutes. Add the Pernod and cook for 5 more minutes. Check for salt and pepper.
• Preheat the broiler.
• Ladle the soup into 6 to 8 ovenproof bowls and place 1 or 2 slices of French bread and a handful of Gruyère cheese on top of each bowl. Place the bowls on a baking sheet and slide them under the broiler for 3 minutes, or until the cheese is brown and bubbly, and serve.

POTATO-FENNEL GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Butter the inside of a 10-by-15-by-2-inch (10-cup) baking dish.
• Remove the stalks from the fennel and cut the bulbs in half lengthwise. Remove the cores and thinly slice the bulbs crosswise, making approximately 4 cups of sliced fennel. Saute the fennel and onions in the olive oil and butter on medium-low heat for 15 minutes, until tender.
• Peel the potatoes, then thinly slice them by hand or with a mandoline. Mix the sliced potatoes in a large bowl with 2 cups of cream, 2 cups of Gruyère, salt, and pepper. Add the sauteed fennel and onion and mix well.
• Pour the potatoes into the baking dish. Press down to smooth the potatoes. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream and 1/2 cup of Gruyère and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, until the potatoes are very tender and the top is browned and bubbly. Allow to set for 10 minutes and serve.

ONION AND FENNEL GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to Gas 6, 200C, 180C fan. Bring a pan of water to the boil, add the fennel and onions and cook for 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain and tip into a large baking dish.
• Mix the creme fraiche and chicken stock, and season with pepper, salt and grated nutmeg. Spoon the sauce over the vegetables then scatter over with the grated Parmesan cheese.
• Bake the gratin for about the 20 minutes, or until bubbling and golden. Let it sit for a few minutes before serving.

POTATO-FENNEL GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350.
• Butter inside of a 10x15x2-inch (10 cup) baking dish.
• Remove stalks and core of fennel, slice thinly crosswise.
• Saute fennel and onions in the olive oil and butter on Medium heat for about 15 minutes or until tender.
• Peel potatoes, slice thinly.
• Mix potatoes in a bowl with 2 cups cream and 2 cups Gruyere, salt, pepper and the sauteed onion/fennel mixture.
• Pour into baking dish, press down to smooth.
• Combine remaining 2 tbl cream and 1/2 cup Gruyere and sprinkle on top.
• Bake for 1 1/2 hours until potatoes are very tender, the top is browned and bubbly.
• Let set for 10-15 minutes before serving.

FENNEL, TOMATO AND GARLIC GRATIN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200c/400f/gas mark 6.
• Cut fennel in half lenghways and slice each half thinly. Peel and slice the red onion thinly.
• Heat the olive oil in a pan and cook the onion until softened. Add 2 of the minced garlic cloves and mix.
• Add the sliced fennel and cook, stirring regularly, until soft and lightly golden.
• Score a cross in the top of each tomato and plunge into boiling water for a minute. Drain and peel the skin off, then chop them roughly and add to the fennel. Cook, stirring regularly, until tomato is softened.
• Season the mixture well and spread in a greased gratin dish.
• Mix together the breadcrumbs, final minced garlic clove, parmesan and lemon zest. Spread over the fennel mixture. If you want the gratin to be extra-cheesy, at this point sprinkel the grated gruyere over the top of the breadcrumbs.
• Bake until golden brown and crisp.