Fennel Baked with Parmigiano and Moscato

Fennel is often overlooked on the American Thanksgiving table, but when cooked to tenderness and topped with Parmigiano-Reggiano it makes a light side dish that fits in surprisingly well.

Serves: 6

Cooking Time: 60 minutes

Extra virgin olive oil
5 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed and thinly sliced lengthwise (keep the core intact so the slices hold their fan-like shape)
1/4 cup Moscato wine (or any sweet white wine, such as a Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise)
1/4 cup chicken broth, or fresh turkey broth if you have it
A squeeze of lemon juice
A small palmful of fennel seeds, ground to a powder
A few large thyme sprigs, the leaves chopped
Salt
Black pepper
½ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Coat a large baking dish with olive oil. Place fennel slices in the dish, slightly overlapping one another. Pour Moscato over the top. Pour on chicken broth, and then squeeze on some fresh lemon juice. Season with fennel seed, thyme, salt and black pepper. Drizzle with olive oil. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake in the oven until tender, about 40 minutes (a knife poked into one of the pieces should go in easily).

Take the pan from the oven, and sprinkle on grated Parmigiano. Turn heat up to 425 degrees, and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes, just until the top is lightly browned and the liquid in the dish reduces and caramelizes a bit. Serve warm.

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