Fennel Gratin
If you are like me, I sometimes obsess about certain foods. Recently, my head was consumed with fennel and green peppercorns. So random, right? In my mind they sound good paired….and I began to envision some possibilities. This new recipe was a fun fennel journey for me.
Most the items for this gratin were in my fridge. And really, you can make a gratin with almost any vegetable, seasoned with the right herbs, and viola! You have created a masterpiece. I do create a lot of my own spice blends so I tend to have various dried herbs on hand. If you need a great website to purchase herbs, try Spices Inc. They have most anything you could ever hope for and then some.
But, back to the gratin. What makes this gratin so insanely good is the care taken to prepare the items for layering. Seasoning in between those layers is also so vital to the finished product. The longest process is the prepping. Cutting and washing the fennel and leeks is paramount. Poaching your leeks in white wine and butter make them tender and melt in your mouth. Then imagine yourself seated in your most comfy chair with your favorite glass of white wine, enjoying the fruits of your labor…..a gently warm fennel gratin. Pair it with a nice slice of crunchy farm bread and you have a beautiful snack or afternoon meal for yourself. This is luxury and this is for you!
Fennel Gratin
Equipment
- 1 mandolin
- 1 Grater
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl
- 1 Colander
- 1 9×6, baking pan
- 1 Small pot
Ingredients
- 5 each fennel bulbs, medium size sliced on mandolin reserve fennel fronds for garnish, optional
- 2 each leeks, white and light green parts only
- 2 cups white wine
- 3 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 3 1/2 cups Swiss cheese, grated
- 3 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup shallots, dried
- 2 tbsp green peppercorn, crushed
- 3 tbsp cracked fennel
- to taste Kosher salt
- to taste freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp Italian flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Trim fennel bulbs. Remove root end and remove fennel fronds. Keep a couple of the fennel fronds for garnish, optional. Shave fennel on mandolin very thinly. Place shavings in a large bowl with cold water and gently agitate to remove debris. Drain in colander and set aside.
- Trim dark green ends off of leeks, keeping the white and light green parts. Cut leeks in half long way, then cut into half moons. Place leeks in a large bowl with cold water and gently agitate to remove debris and sand. Drain in colander and set aside.
- Add 2 cups of white wine and 1 tablespoon of butter to a small sauce pot. Add leeks and gently cook until leeks are tender, about 12 minutes. Drain and set leeks aside and poaching liquid aside separately.
- Using the same poaching pan add heavy cream and crushed peppercorns. Bring the cream up to a simmer and remove from heat. Allow to steep while you assemble your gratin.
- Prepare baking dish by using remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to coast bottom and sides of baking dish.
- Begin by layering shaved fennel on the bottom of the pan. Next, add poached leeks in a scattered layer. Add 1/3 of the dried shallots, freshly ground black pepper and Kosher salt to taste and 1 tablespoon of the cracked fennel. Add 1 cup of the grated Swiss cheese. Repeat this layering process 2-3 more times.
- Add the peppercorn cream and 1 cups of the leek poaching liquid together, and pour over layered fennel. Top with the remaining Swiss cheese.
- Cover dish with plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes. Remove wrap and foil. Turn oven up to 400 degrees F and cook for an additional 12-15 minutes until lightly golden brown on top.
- Allow to cool for about 20 minutes. Slice into 8 serving pieces. Garnish with chopped parsley and fennel fronds and enjoy!
