Fennel Gratin W Tarragon and Lemon
By: tawanna-patrice
Published: Monday, May 9, 2011 - 9:18am

Ingredients




2 large fennel bulbs, core and stalks removed and thinly sliced
1 med yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
2 garlic clove, finely minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, separated
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups unsweetened soymilk, unsweetened almond milk, or dairy milk<
4 oz grated Fontina cheese
2 ounces grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, finely chopped
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1/2 cup unseasoned breadcrumbs
kosher salt, to taste
ground white pepper, to taste
grated fresh nutmeg

Preparation

1 Preheat oven to 375-degrees; 2 Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat; add olive oil; sauté onion until it becomes soft and translucent, approximately 5 minutes; add minced garlic and sliced fennel; sauté until fennel softens,  approximately 15 - 20 minutes; season lightly with kosher salt and ground white pepper; set aside and cool 3 In a sauce pan, add 3 T of unsalted butter; melt over medium heat; add all-purpose flour and thoroughly combine using a whisk; cook mixture for 2 - 3 minutes to make a white roux, stirring constantly 4 DO NOT ALLOW ROUX TO DARKEN IN COLOR… this will effect presentation and taste 5 Add soymilk (almond or dairy) to roux, slowly and constantly stirring so that no lumps form; cook mixture over medium-low heat for approximately 6 minutes, constantly stirring, until sauce starts to thicken and no longer tastes like raw flour 6 Remove sauce from heat; add just a pinch of fresh nutmeg; season lightly with kosher salt and ground white pepper; whisk in grated Fontina cheese  until sauce is smooth 7 The sauce should be thick; but not so think that you can lay a brick with it; if it is too thick; just add a few tablespoons of water to loosen up a little to maintain a creamy, smooth texture 8 Fold sautéed fennel mixture into the sauce; taste and adjust seasoning accordingly; pour into a shallow casserole dish; and set aside 9 In a medium sauté pan, melt remaining unsalted butter over medium-high heat; add breadcrumbs, tarragon, and lemon zest; remove from heat and sprinkle over fennel mixture; top with Pecorino Romano; bake for 20 – 25 minutes until the edges are bubbly; and the top is a deep golden brown.

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