Roasted Fennel with Olive Oil and Parmesan

Roasted Fennel with Olive Oil and Parmesan

Fall is here (finally!) and I just harvested the last vegetable in my garden before winterizing it. We ended the season with fennel and I could not be more excited to prepare this simple and flavorful side dish using the fennel bulbs that grew so perfectly. You can also take advantage of your local farmers’ markets to find fennel. Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:

2 large fennel bulbs (about 1 pound)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

PREPARATION:

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Remove the stems of the fennel. Rinse and dry the bulbs. Slice each bulb in half lengthwise. With the cut side down, slice the bulb vertically into ½-inch-thick slices.

Arrange the fennel slices in a 13 X 9 -inch baking dish. Drizzle them with the olive oil and use your hands to coat them well. Sprinkle the fennel with salt and pepper.

Bake for 15 minutes. Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven, gently toss the fennel slices, then sprinkle them evenly with grated parmesan cheese.

Return the pan to the oven and keep baking until the fennel is fork-tender and the top is golden brown, about 15 more minutes.

Yields 3 servings