Fennel Gratin

Thanks to Epicurious for another amazing recipe!

Ingredients

Crumb topping:
3 TBSP butter
3/4 c panko
1 c Pecorino, grated
1 TBSP chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 1/2 tsp finely grated lemon peel

Gratin:
2 TBSP olive oil
1 onion, halved, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
3 large garlic cloves, minced
5 fennel bulbs, trimmed, cored, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices
1/2 c low-salt chicken broth
2 TBSP chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 TBSP chopped fresh thyme
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Gratin:
Lightly oil shallow 2-quart glass or ceramic baking dish. Heat 5 tablespoons oil in large wide pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until soft but not brown, about 5 minutes. Add fennel; increase heat to medium-high and sautéuntil fennel is slightly softened and beginning to brown, stirring frequently, about 18 minutes. Stir in broth and next 4 ingredients. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until most of broth is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Transfer to dish.

Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add panko; sauté until golden, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature. Stir Pecorino, parsley, and peel into panko.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Sprinkle panko mixture over fennel. Bake until gratin is heated through and topping is deep golden, about 20 minutes. Serve warm.

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Crispy Sautéed Foie Gras with Buttery Apples

Foie is now prohibition food here in California, lucky for me I stocked up on flash frozen from Hudson Valley before the ban.

Ingredients:
2 apples, peeled, cored and sliced into 8 rounds
3 TBSP butter
4 – 2 oz slices of Foie Gras
Flour
Salt & pepper
1 TBSP apple cider vinegar
1/4 c veal stock

I a large sauté pan, heat butter over medium heat and add apples. Cook 3 minutes on each side. Remove and keep warm.

Dredge Foie in flour season with salt and pepper. Melt 1 TBSP butter over medium heat sauté Foie for 1 -2 minutes per side, it should be nicely browned on outside and slightly pink on the inside.

Arrange apples and Foie on a plate. Deglaze the pan over high heat, add stock and vinegar, reduce by half, whisk in 1 TBSP butter. Cook 2 minutes stiring. Pour over Foie.

Serves 4.