Recipe: Creamy casserole ideal for a winter meal
Out of the oven and topped with fresh fennel fronds, this casserole works as a vegetarian entree or can serve as a side dish to any meat.
Kathy Morrison
Fennel is one of those plants that can be categorized as a vegetable, herb or spice, depending on which part is used. The bulb can be sliced into salads raw, or sautéed or baked, while the fronds can add depth to salads, and the seeds are used in many savory cooked dishes.
My farm box fennel inspired a hunt for new recipes, and the one here (found on the New York Times Cooking site) was a perfect warming combination for these cold February nights. The raw veggie is mildly licorice-tasting, but baked it mellows considerably. We enjoyed the casserole alongside grilled pork chops and steamed broccoli, but the beans-fennel-cheese combo would be an excellent vegetarian entree, served with a green salad and some whole wheat bread.
Notes: I used one can of cannellini beans and one of navy beans, since either works. I think the smaller beans puree more easily, but go with what you have. Also, I forgot to add the Parmesan shreds to the bread-crumb topping before putting it on the beans, so I sprinkled it on top, which worked just fine. The fennel-fronds garnish adds visual interest and a flavorful zing to the dish.
Creamy white bean and fennel casserole
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 large fennel bulbs
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 leek, white and light green part only, trimmed and thinly sliced, optional
2 (14-ounce) cans white beans, such as cannellini, navy or great Northern
1/2 cup heavy cream, half and half or whole milk
Zest from 1 lemon, divided
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup or more grated or shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions:
Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Trim the stalks and tough root end from the fennel bulb, reserving some of the fresh fronds for garnish. Cut the bulbs in half lengthwise, then in thin slices across.
Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large, heavy oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced fennel, seasoning with salt and pepper, and sauté until softened but not limp, 10-12 minutes. Stir in the garlic and, if using, the leek, and cook, stirring, another 1 or 2 minutes.
To prepare the sauce, pour 1 can of beans and its liquid into a blender. Pour in the cream or milk, 2 tablespoons olive oil, the lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon of the lemon zest. Purée until smooth.
Drain and rinse the other can of beans in a colander. Stir the rinsed beans and the puréed mixture into the skillet with the cooked fennel. Season well with salt and freshly ground pepper.
For the topping: Place the panko crumbs in a small bowl with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Stir in the remaining lemon zest, the Parmesan and more pepper, and toss to coat. Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the beans and fennel in the pan.
Bake the casserole until bubbling and golden on top, about 15 minutes. (Broil the top 1-2 minutes more if you want it crisper.) Roughly chop the reserved fennel fronds, sprinkle them over the casserole, and serve.
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Dig In: Garden Checklist
For week of March 26:
Sacramento can expect another inch of rain from this latest storm. Leave the sprinklers off at least another week. Temps will dip down into the low 30s early in the week, so avoid planting tender seedlings (such as tomatoes). Concentrate on these tasks before or after this week’s rain:
* Fertilize roses, annual flowers and berries as spring growth begins to appear.
* Knock off aphids with a strong blast of water or some bug soap as soon as they appear.
* Pull weeds now! Don’t let them get started. Take a hoe and whack them as soon as they sprout.
* Prepare summer vegetable beds. Spade in compost and other amendments.
* Prune and fertilize spring-flowering shrubs after bloom.
* Feed camellias at the end of their bloom cycle. Pick up browned and fallen flowers to help corral blossom blight.
* Feed citrus trees, which are now in bloom and setting fruit.
To prevent sunburn and borer problems on young trees, paint the exposed portion of the trunk with diluted white latex (water-based) interior paint. Dilute the paint with an equal amount of cold water before application.
* Cut back and fertilize perennial herbs to encourage new growth.
* Seed and renovate the lawn (if you still have one). Feed cool-season grasses such as bent, blue, rye and fescue with a slow-release fertilizer. Check the irrigation system and perform maintenance. Make sure sprinkler heads are turned toward the lawn, not the sidewalk.
* In the vegetable garden, transplant lettuce and kale.
* Seed chard and beets directly into the ground.
* Plant summer bulbs, including gladiolus, tuberous begonias and callas. Also plant dahlia tubers.
* Shop for perennials. Many varieties are available in local nurseries and at plant events. They can be transplanted now while the weather remains relatively cool.
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