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Side Dish
American
4 - 6 servings
20 minutes
25 minutes
Although it stands on its own as a wonderful vegetarian side dish, try serving this delicate but satisfying dish as a base for any highly flavored roasted poultry like duck, game hen, or even a robust roasting chicken. Just place the finished roast right on top of the baked fennel dish (which will soak up all the roast's drippings) and serve.
3 bulbs fennel, trimmed, weight about 1¼ pounds
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves organic garlic, finely chopped
2 cups organic tomatoes (about 1 pound) peeled, seeded and chopped
Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
4 slices Country-Style Bread, cut in ½ inch cubes (about 3½ to 4 cups)
¼ cup butter, melted
⅓ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Trim the fennel bulbs by cutting off the tops, leaving about ½ inch above the bulbs and cutting away any brown spots.
Cut the bulbs in half lengthwise and then in ¼ inch - thick slices.
Remove any hard central cores. In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over a medium high heat.
Add the fennel slices and garlic. Saute, turning occasionally, until just tender, 5 to 7 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Saute 2 to 3 minutes more.
Spoon the fennel mixture, including its liquid, into a shallow baking dish, about 8 x 13 x 12 inches.
Toss the bread, melted butter, and Parmesan cheese into a small bowl.
Place the bread cubes evenly over the fennel mixture. Bake until golden brown and bubbling, about 20 to 25 minutes. Serve warm.
