Leek and Fennel Gratin
For this dish I use the whole leek, the white part and green tops so nothing is wasted. The importance is to carefully wash the leek first to remove any dirt inside the layers. To do this, I cut the whole leek lengthways, down the middle, and then hold it under a gentle stream of water while washing carefully. Shake off excess water and slice as per the recipe.
Ingredients
- ½ cup (125ml) milk (I used oat milk)
- ¼ cup (60ml) cream
- 1 bay leaf (optional)
- 1 large leek (about 400g), greens included
- 1 medium fennel bulb (about 400g)
- 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 tbsp butter
- Salt and cracked pepper
- 2 tsp flour - can use gluten-free
- 40 g about 1 cup loosely packed finely grated parmesan cheese
- 1 cup (about 120g) breadcrumbs (see above for homemade)
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- handful of fennel greens, finely chopped
- 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves or ½ tsp dried
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC (fan 160ºC).
- Pour the milk and cream into a saucepan, add the bay leaf and gently heat until bubbles form at the edge of the pan. Remove from the heat and set aside to infuse.
- Wash the whole leek as described in the introduction, then cut into 1cm slices.
- Remove the stalks from the fennel, setting aside any small tender greens for the crumb. Quarter the bulb, then roughly slice.
- In a shallow ovenproof pan (or cast iron frying pan) heat 1 tbsp of the olive oil and the butter over a moderate heat. Add the prepared produce, season with salt and pepper and saute for 6-8 minutes until softened.
- Sprinkle over the flour, stirring over the heat, then pour in the hot milk and cream (compost the bay leaf). Mix over the heat for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens. Check the seasoning adding extra salt or pepper as needed. Remove from the heat and add the grated cheese, stirring until melted.
- In a bowl combine the breadcrumbs, garlic, chopped fennel greens, thyme and remaining 2 tbsp olive oil. Spoon this over the creamy mixture to create an even crumb. Place the pan into the oven and cook for 20 minutes until the crumb is nicely golden and sauce bubbling around the edges. Serve alongside pan-fried fish and roasted vegetables.
Notes
Serving suggestion: I served this gratin alongside fresh pan-fried fish and a tray of roasted vegetables including yams, parsnip, cauliflower and brussels sprouts.