Note: I first learned to roast fennel from one of my favorite cookbooks: Cooking with Shelburne Farms (Chris and I spend a week at Shelburne Farms every August) and was thrilled with the results of their Cream-Roasted Fennel recipe. Since then, I've come up with my own version -- omitting the chicken stock and adding the sherry. Both versions are tasty, so get the cookbook and try them both. I'm sure you'll become a fennel fan in no time, too.
Roasted Fennel with Sherry and Cream
Ingredients:
1lb fennel (1 whole stalk)
3 TBS unsalted butter
1 TBS sugar
1/4 cup sherry (or brandy)
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
To Do:
- Heat your oven to BROIL.
- Remove the stems from the top of the fennel, reserving some of the fronds for garnish.
- Cut any brown/bulky bits from the bottom, then cut the fennel in half, root end down, then slice each half into strips no more than 1/4 inch thick.
- In an ovenproof pan, melt the butter over medium-low heat until it starts to foam.
- Stir in the sugar and sherry and lightly simmer, 3-5 minutes, until the sugar has dissolved and the alcohol has mostly evaporated.
- Add the fennel and cook on medium heat, stirring gently and often, about 10-12 minutes more, until lightly brown and tender when tested with a fork.
- Turn off heat and season with salt/pepper to taste.
- Lightly stir in cream and transfer the pan to the broiler.
- Broil for about 3-5 minutes, until fennel is browned in spots, then remove from oven.
- Sprinkle with fennel fronds and serve immediately.
xoxo
