Turkey is fine and everything, but what really excites me about Thanksgiving is the opportunity to make all kinds of vegetable side dishes. While dishes like green bean casserole (never eaten it) and sweet potatoes with marshmallows on them (not this one either) are Thanksgiving traditions for many (not me), I know plenty of families who look to their cultural heritage when choosing what to serve alongside their holiday bird.
And so it is without hesitation that I suggest you consider an Italian-inspired Thanksgiving side dish this year: Fennel Gratin with Parmigiano Reggiano. After all, Italian immigrants have contributed so much to our national cuisine.
Fall is the perfect time of year to experiment with fennel. This mild, licorice-flavored bulb is now in season and it is a natural match with Parmigiano Reggiano. For example, I like to combine raw, shaved raw fennel and curls of parmesan to create a light and herbaceous salad. If you aren’t wild about fennel’s anise flavor, however, I suggest you try cooking the bulb in liquid, so it becomes sweet and mild.
When working with fennel, remember to trim off the long stalks and remove the woody core. Also know that you will only be able to use a fraction of the large bulb you see in the store, so buy more than you think you need.
To make this indulgent gratin, begin by sautéing sliced onion and fennel to soften the vegetables. Then add cream and chicken broth to create a sauce. (Listen, I could have made the sauce all cream, so be grateful.) The mixture is placed in a buttered baking dish awaiting its crispy topping.
(This part can be done up to a day ahead if you are trying to get a jump on your Thanksgiving preparations. Cover and chill until needed. Allow to come back up to room temperature before baking.)
In a separate skillet, toast Panko bread crumbs to make them extra-crispy and buttery. Then you combine the bread crumbs with grated parmesan to create the topping for the gratin. I don’t need to tell you that when I say “parmesan,” I mean the only true Parmesan cheese, Parmigiano Reggiano, right? Indeed, I am proud to be a brand ambassador for Parmigiano Reggiano, the King of Cheese.
True Parmigiano Reggiano is imported from Italy, a specific region in fact, and must conform to the strictest standards of quality, as regulated by the Consorzio del Formaggio Parmigiano Reggiano. To know you are getting the real thing, look at the cheese’s rind which should contain the number of the “caseificio” or cheese house, the production date and pin dots forming the words “Parmigiano Reggiano.” Don’t settle for anything less!
Like parmesan, fennel is a classic ingredient in Italian cuisine. And together, they are a dynamite combo. The saltiness of the Parmesan goes wonderfully with the sweet, mellow flavor of roasted fennel.
If your Thanksgiving menu is full, let me suggest that this fennel gratin would be an outstanding side dish to serve with fish and is certainly elegant enough for any dinner party.
On the other hand, are you sure that you don’t have room at your holiday table? I don’t think any would object if you made this instead of green bean casserole. Do you?
Ingredients
- 2 TB extra virgin olive oil
- 2 yellow onions, halved and sliced
- 3 bulbs fennel, trimmed, halved, woody core removed (fronds reserved for garnish)
- 1 TB preserved lemon, minced (optional)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- Pinch nutmeg
- 3 TB butter
- 3/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
- 1 cup Parmigiano Reggiano, grated
- Fresh thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
- Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about five minutes.
- Thinly slice the halved fennel bulbs and add them to the skillet. Season well with salt and pepper.
- Sauté fennel until tender, about fifteen minutes.
- Add cream and chicken and season with a pinch of nutmeg. Simmer for a few minutes until thickened.
- Pour fennel mixture into a buttered, shallow baking dish and set aside. (May be done ahead.)
- Preheat oven to 425.
- In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the Panko bread crumbs and toast until golden brown, about five minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Add grated Parmigiano Reggiano and the leaves from several sprigs of thyme to bread crumbs.
- Top fennel in baking dish with the bread crumb mixture.
- Bake until golden brown and bubbly, about twenty minutes.
- Garnish with chopped reserved fennel fronds and serve immediately.
Full disclosure time: in my role as brand ambassador, I receive shipments of Parmigiano Reggiano for recipe development purposes. I do not receive any compensation for my role.
