Braised Fennel au Gratin

Ingredients

• 4 bulbs of sweet Florentine fennel (anise)
• 1 ½ quarts boiling water
• 4 tablespoons unsweetened butter
• 4 tablespoons glace de viande
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese

4 to 6 servings

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cut each fennel bulb in half and trim the root end. Cut off any stalks that protrude above the bulb.
3. Drop the fennel halves in the boiling water and let them simmer for 7 minutes. Drain, refresh in cold water and drain again.
4. Using 1/2 tablespoon of butter, grease the bottom and sides of an ovenproof porcelain or enamel dish just large enough to hold the fennel. Arrange the fennel halves in the dish. Spoon the glace de viande over them and sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Dot with remaining butter.
5. Cover the dish with foil and place in preheated oven for approximately 30 minutes, or until fennel can be pierced easily with a fork.
6. Remove foil and sprinkle fennel halves with grated cheese. Raise heat to 500 degrees and return, uncovered, to a hot oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until cheese melts and the fennel halves start to turn brown. Serve immediately in the dish in which they were cooked.

1 hour