Fennel Gratin

Dad has been experimenting with fennel, and I have to say that it's really an unsung hero of the vegetable world. It's like having a non-eye-watering onion and celery rolled up into one vegetable. Here is my favorite recipe that my dad has come up with so far.

Fennel Gratin

Ingredients

Fennel
Olive oil
Garlic
Onions
Water or chicken stock
Cream
Bread crumbs
Gruyere and/or parmesan cheese
Pancetta (optional)
Pine nuts (optional)
Parsley or basil or whatever

Procedure 

1. Slice the fennel into quarter inch slices, then saute in olive oil with garlic and onion. Pour in water or chicken stock, then put the lid on and let it steam.
2. For the bread crumbs, take a piece of dried bread, parsley, and the cheese and process them in a food processor until the mixture is crumbly--but not too small.
3. Put in baking dish mixed with a little cream and the pancetta or pine nuts if desired, and cover with bread crumbs. Sprinkle with gruyere and/or parmesan cheese.
4. Bake at 375 degrees until crispy brown and delicious.

Brussel Sprouts with Pancetta and Pine Nuts

This recipe is for brussel sprouts with pancetta and pine nuts, a dish that my family and I have grown quite fond of after a very long search for a brussel sprout recipe that we could handle. My dad has always loved brussel sprouts for Thanksgiving dinner, but the traditional sprouts in mustard turned everyone else's stomach. This recipe brings out the fresh, lively flavor of the sprouts without the sulfuric smells usually associated with them, and dresses it up for the holidays. I thought that I had already written this recipe down someplace, but just in case, here it is!

If you can find a stalk with sprouts still attached, get that. Brussel sprouts are best the fresher they are, and the stalk lets you practically have them straight from the plant.

Brussel Sprouts with Pancetta and Pine Nuts

Ingredients

Brussel sprouts, one stalk from Trader Joes

Pancetta

Pine nuts

Garlic

Onions

Olive oil

Procedure

1. To prepare the brussel sprouts, remove from stalk. Cut off the bottom of the sprout, then cut sprout in half. Cut out the triangle of white bitter stuff from each half. Then peel the leaves off and rinse with water.

2. Saute the chopped pancetta, garlic, onions, and pine nuts in a bit of olive oil.

3. Add the brussel sprout leaves and coat with the sauteed mixture. Cook until leaves are bright green and tender.

4. Serve hot or refrigerate for more of a salad (I prefer hot!).