This is a lovely side dish for a roast but would work equally as a light supper for 2 with a little salad and crusty bread. It is simple to make, the only time involved really is the cooking. It would qualify as quick if it didn't take so long.
Cooking the fennel first in boiling water makes it soft and light and then it takes on the roasted flavours of the oil and garlic. The cheese at the end simply sets it off to perfection. It its the sort of side dish often served as the vegetable accompaniment in the little cafés in provincial France. Though not the star of the show it adds much by way of flavour and texture in its supporting role. We had it with roast pork and roasted onions and new potatoes Sunday night - it really was very good.
Roasted Fennel
2 pale fat fennel bulbs
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tbspns olive oil
2 tbspns freshly grated Parmesan
Salt and black pepper
Heat a large pan of water to boiling. Cut the fennel in half top to bottom and cook in the water for about 5 minutes. Drain and put them into a roasting pan with the oil and garlic sprinkled over. Season then put the pan into a moderate oven, gas 5, 200F and cook, turning occasionally, for half an hour. When the flesh is tender and flecked with brown sprinkle with Parmesan and cook for another few minutes. Serve with a roast or with salad.
A treat.
Cooking the fennel first in boiling water makes it soft and light and then it takes on the roasted flavours of the oil and garlic. The cheese at the end simply sets it off to perfection. It its the sort of side dish often served as the vegetable accompaniment in the little cafés in provincial France. Though not the star of the show it adds much by way of flavour and texture in its supporting role. We had it with roast pork and roasted onions and new potatoes Sunday night - it really was very good.
Roasted Fennel
2 pale fat fennel bulbs
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 tbspns olive oil
2 tbspns freshly grated Parmesan
Salt and black pepper
Heat a large pan of water to boiling. Cut the fennel in half top to bottom and cook in the water for about 5 minutes. Drain and put them into a roasting pan with the oil and garlic sprinkled over. Season then put the pan into a moderate oven, gas 5, 200F and cook, turning occasionally, for half an hour. When the flesh is tender and flecked with brown sprinkle with Parmesan and cook for another few minutes. Serve with a roast or with salad.
A treat.
Fennel really is one of my favourite things, but I've not tried it with parmesan - I must give this a go!
ReplyDeleteIt's good. Had the leftover fennel cold with lunch - much better hot!
ReplyDelete