Potato Fennel Gratin By Ina Garten Recipes

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the fennel, onions, and thyme and saute for 20 to 25 minutes, until the onions and fennel are very tender and caramelized. (You can add a little water if it starts to stick.) Deglaze the pan by adding the brandy; reduce the heat to medium and cook for 3 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pan. Add the sherry and white wine and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add the chicken stock, salt, and pepper and continue to cook, uncovered, for another 15 minutes. Add the Pernod and cook for 5 more minutes. Check for salt and pepper.
• Preheat the broiler.
• Ladle the soup into 6 to 8 ovenproof bowls and place 1 or 2 slices of French bread and a handful of Gruyère cheese on top of each bowl. Place the bowls on a baking sheet and slide them under the broiler for 3 minutes, or until the cheese is brown and bubbly, and serve.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13-by-10-by-2 1/2-inch oval baking dish.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan over medium heat, add the onion and fennel, and cook for 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until lightly browned and tender. Add the garlic and cook for one minute.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the onion mixture, sweet potatoes, celery root, Yukon Gold potatoes, cream, chicken stock, Gruyere, thyme, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and press lightly so the vegetables lie flat all the way to the edge. Combine the bread crumbs and 2 tablespoons of olive oil and distribute evenly on top. Bake uncovered for 1 1/2 hours, until the vegetables are very tender when tested with a small knife and the top is browned and bubbly. Allow to set for 15 minutes and serve hot.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with 1/4 cup olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes, until cooked through.
• Saute the onions and fennel with 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large stockpot on medium heat until translucent, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the roasted potatoes (including the scrapings from the pan) and the chicken stock. Cover and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 1 hour, until all of the vegetables are very soft. Add the heavy cream and allow the soup to cool slightly. Pass the soup through the largest disk of a food mill or chop coarsely in batches in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Taste for salt and pepper. Reheat and serve hot.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in lower third of oven. Butter a 2-quart shallow flameproof gratin pan or baking dish (not glass.)
• Cut fronds from fennel and chop enough to measure 1 tablespoon. Set aside. Cut off and discard stalks. Quarter fennel lengthwise and cut very thinly with slicer into a large bowl.
• Peel potatoes and cut very thinly with slicer into bowl. Add butter with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and toss to coat.
• Transfer vegetables to gratin dish, spreading them out in an even layer, and cover tightly with foil.
• Bake 30 minutes, then reduce oven to 350°F and continue to bake until vegetables are tender, 20 to 25 minutes more.
• Remove from oven and remove foil, then sprinkle gratin evenly with cheese.
• Preheat broiler and broil gratin 4 to 5 inches from heat just until cheese is lightly golden 4 to 5 minutes.
• Let gratin stand 5 minutes before serving.