Baked Fennel With Gorgonzola Food

GOLDEN BEET AND FENNEL SALAD WITH GORGONZOLA FLAN AND CANDIED PECANS

Steps:

• Wash and trim the beets. Put them into a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and roast until tender (time will vary depending on the size of the beets). Remove from the oven and let cool. When the beets are cool enough to handle, remove the skins, and cut them into quarters. Toss them in a bowl with the fennel, lemon juice, lemon zest, parsley and oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Chill until ready to serve.
• Reduce oven to temperature to 325 degrees F. In a small skillet, toss pecans in corn syrup, sugar, cayenne and salt and pepper, to taste. Bake for 5 minutes, stir and bake for 10 more minutes. Remove the candied pecans from oven and separate them with a fork.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 275 degrees F.
• In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks until pale yellow. Heat cream and half-and-half in a small saucepan over low heat, and add slowly it to the eggs. Stir in the Gorgonzola, chives, parsley, and salt and pepper, to taste. Put 6 ramekins in a baking pan and fill the pan with enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Divide the flan mixture evenly between ramekins.
• Cover the baking pan with aluminum foil and bake until the center of each custard is firm, about 35 to 40 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and put the ramekins on serving plates alongside some golden beet salad and candied pecans.

SAUTEED ASPARAGUS FENNEL WITH GORGONZOLA

Steps:

• 1. Slice the asparagus spears diagonally into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Cut the fennel in half and remove the tough inner core. Separate the layers and then cut each layer into long thin strips.
• 2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fennel and onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the asparagus and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender yet firm, about 8 minutes. Stir in the thyme and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish and crumble the gorgonzola over top. Serve warm or at room temperature.

FENNEL & POTATO GRATIN WITH GORGONZOLA & OLIVES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F
• Rub the inside of 11" diameter dutch oven or casserole with the garlic halves.
• Then rub the inside with 1/2 tbsp butter.
• Cover the bottom of the pan with 1/4 of the potatoes, they will overlap some.
• Spread 1/3 of the olives and 1/4 of the cheese, then top with 1/3 of the fennel.
• Sprinkle with 1/3 tsp marjoram,salt & pepper to taste, and 1 tbsp butter cut in pieces.
• Repeat this layer twice more.
• Arrange the remaining potatoes around top, sprinkle with 1/2 remaining cheese and 1 tbsp butter.
• Pour the milk evenly over, place the olive halves around the top.
• Cover with foil or lid.
• Bake 1 hour.
• Remove the lid/foil, sprinkle the remaining cheese, and continue to bake (uncovered) another 30 minutes or until the top is golden and the potatoes are tender.
• Let stand 15 minutes to firm.
• To make the tomato sauce: After you have uncovered the gratin, heat 4 tsp oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
• Saute the onion and garlic 5 minutes.
• Stir in the tomatoes with juices, 4 tsp marjoram, and fennel seeds.
• Simmer this for about 15 minutes to thicken.
• Serve warm on the side of the gratin.

FENNEL, GRAPE, AND GORGONZOLA SALAD

Steps:

• Trim fennel stalks flush with bulb and discard any tough outer layers. Halve bulb lengthwise, discard core, and slice fennel thin. In a bowl toss together fennel, oil, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste and let stand 10 minutes. Add grapes, Gorgonzola, radicchio, and romaine and toss to combine.

BAKED FENNEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• Clean the fennel, removing the upper fronds, and slice lengthwise into 1/2 inch slices.
• Set the feathery leaves aside to garnish the completed dish.
• Place in a saucepan and cover with milk.
• Simmer for about 10 minutes or until the fennel can be easily pierced with a fork.
• Remove the fennel and pat dry.
• Layer in a baking dish, drizzle with two tablespoons of the oil and add salt and pepper.
• Bake for about 20 minutes.
• Mix the remaining oil with the cheese and breadcrumbs, and sprinkle over the dish and continue baking until golden brown.
• This dish is great hot or at room temperature.
• Use the discarded feathery fronds to garnish, and serve.

FENNEL AND RADICCHIO SALAD WITH GORGONZOLA

Steps:

• Cut off the fennel leaves and reserve for the garnish. Wash the fennel, remove the hard core and thinly slice the bulb. Put into a bowl. Wash and trim the radicchio, shred, but not too finely, and add to the bowl.
• Roughly chop the walnuts, dice the Gorgonzola and add both to the salad. Roughly chop the parsley. Make a dressing from the oil, lemon juice, vinegar, honey and parsley.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over the salad and mix well. Serve immediately garnished with fennel leaves.