Baked Fennel with Gorgonzola
2-4 bulbs fennel, untrimmed
1 and ¾ cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
4 ounces gorgonzola cheese
2 tbsp dried whole grain bread crumbs
- Rinse Fennel. Trim off stems, and reserve about 1 cup of the tender green leaves. Cut each bulb in half from stem through root end.
- Lay fennel bulb pieces in a 10-inch frying pan, and add broth. Cover and bring to a boil on high heat. Simmer until fennel is tender when pierced (20 to 25 minutes). Transfer fennel to a shallow casserole, 9 to 10 inches wide. Lay cut side up.
- Boil broth, uncovered, on high heat until reduced to about ½ cup. Stir in about half the fennel leaves. Spoon mixture evenly over the fennel in the casserole dish.
- Mash cheese with the bread crumbs. Dot mixture evenly over the fennel. If making ahead, cover and chill up to 1 day. Also wrap remaining fennel leaves in a towel, seal in a plastic bag, and chill.
- Bake casserole, uncovered, at 375 until cheese begins to brown and fennel is hot (about 20 minutes). Tuck remaining leaves around fennel.