Make Ahead

BRAISED ENDIVE AND FENNEL GRATIN WITH CRANBERRIES

March 22, 2013
0
0 Ratings
  • Serves 6 - 8
Author Notes

This dish became a Thanksgiving staple at our table a couple of years ago - but we loved it so much, I made it year round now! —TheWimpyVegetarian

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Ingredients
  • 4 heads of Belgian Endive, cut in half, lengthwise through the root
  • 3 medium bulbs of fennel
  • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1/4 cup cream
  • 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth, or enough to immerse the fennel
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
  • handful of fresh cranberries
  • 1/3 cup or more of Parmesan cheese, finely grated
Directions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400° F. Lay the halved endive in a baking pan.
  2. Cut the stalks from the fennel bulb and discard (or keep for another use). Cut the bulb in half lengthwise, and cut very thin wedges, lengthwise, keeping part of the bulb root that holds each wedge together. If that’s not possible, don’t sweat it. The most important thing here is to cut the fennel as thinly as possible. Scatter the wedges around the endive.
  3. Melt the butter over medium heat in a small skillet. Remove from the heat and immediately whisk in the flour to form a paste. Slowly whisk in 1/2 cup of the vegetable broth until smooth. Add half of the cheese, and the rest of the broth and pour over the endive and fennel. Add enough vegetable broth to just submerge the fennel.
  4. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper over the top, followed by the cranberries and breadcrumbs. Just before putting the dish in the oven, sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking for another 15 minutes or until the fennel is tender and the cheese is nicely browned.
  5. Serve immediately.
  6. Share.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

3 Reviews

dymnyno October 6, 2013
Sounds delicious ,and I love the tart and cranberries. So original!
TheWimpyVegetarian October 6, 2013
Thanks Mare! It's a Thanksgiving fave. It's light-ish and festive :-)
Lizthechef March 22, 2013
Beautiful, Susan!