FENNEL AND POTATOES AU GRATIN

By t1bishop

Scrub the potatoes, rather than peel them, to keep the slices intact during cooking.
Prep: 30 min. Cook: 40 min.

Ingredients

• 3 small baking potatoes, unpeeled
• and thinly sliced (about 3 cups)
• 1 large fennel bulb (about 1 pound)
• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1 2/3 cups milk
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 slices rye bread
• 2 tablespoons finely shredded
• Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Details

Servings 4

Preparation

Step 1

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a
1 1/2- to 2-quart oval or rectangular baking dish; set aside.
COOK potatoes, uncovered, in boiling
water for 3 minutes; drain.
TO PREPARE fennel, cut off upper stalks. Reserve some frond sprigs for garnish. Refrigerate remainder of upper stalks for another use or discard. Remove tough outer layers of bulb and cut off a thin slice from
bulb base. Wash bulb and quarter lengthwise. Cut fennel quarters lengthwise into 1/4-inch wide slices (see photo, left). HEAT 2 teaspoons of the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat; cook and stir garlic in hot oil just till tender. Stir in salt and pepper. Place milk and flour in a screw-top jar; screw on lid and shake till blended. Add milk mixture all at once to saucepan. Cook and stir till thickened and bubbly. Set aside.
PLACE half of the potatoes in the baking dish. Layer half of the fennel slices over potato slices. Cover with half of the sauce. Repeat layers. Bake, covered, for 30 minutes.
BRUSH rye bread slices lightly with
remaining oil. Cut bread into l-inch pieces, and arrange over mixture in baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes more or till vegetables are tender. Garnish with reserved fennel tops.
Makes 4 to 6 side-dish servings.