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Gratin de fenouil
Fennel gratin
Gratin de fenouil: Provençal fennel wedges braised then baked with Parmesan and breadcrumbs
FrenchGratin de fenouil is a winter side dish from Provence, where fennel grows wild on the hills and the bulbs fill markets from October to March. The wedges are braised in olive oil and a little stock until soft and sweet, their aniseed flavour mellowing, then baked under Parmesan and breadcrumbs until crisp. It goes well with fish or a bean stew. Parmesan is always made with animal rennet; use a vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese for a vegetarian dish. The common mistake is baking raw fennel, which stays hard and fibrous. Chef's tip: keep the core in each wedge so the layers hold together.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 3 fennel bulbstrimmed, cut in 8 wedges each
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 1 clove garlicsliced
- ¾ cup vegetable stock
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 3 tbsp dried breadcrumbs
- ½ tsp lemon zest (optional)
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Method
0/3 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 400°F (350°F fan). Heat 2 tbsp of the 2 tbsp olive oil in a wide pan and brown the 3 fennel bulbs wedges for 5 minutes. Add the 1 clove garlic, ¾ cup vegetable stock, ½ tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper, cover and simmer for 10 minutes until tender.
15 minStep 2: Lay the fennel and its juices in a baking dish. Mix the 1 ¾ oz grated Parmesan or vegetarian Italian-style hard cheese, 3 tbsp dried breadcrumbs and ½ tsp lemon zest and scatter over, then drizzle with the rest of the 1 tbsp olive oil.
2 minStep 3: Bake for 20–25 minutes until the fennel is meltingly soft and the top is golden and crisp.
25 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 210 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 14 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does gratin de fenouil take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of garlic?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of vegetable stock?
- Chicken stock, same amount (not vegetarian).
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