Scalloped Potatoes With Caramelized Fennel Recipe
- Ingredients: 20
- Serves: 8
Scalloped potatoes with caramelized fennel with unsalted butter, room temperature, divided, extra-virgin olive oil, fennel bulbs , trimmed, quartered, cored, thinly sliced, kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, dry white wine or dry vermouth, bay leaves, waxy potatoes , peeled, sliced 1/8″ thick, heavy cream, whole milk, garlic clove, halved, shredded comté or gruyère.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsps. unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
- 1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 fennel bulbs , trimmed, quartered, cored, thinly sliced
- Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
- 1/2 cup dry white wine or dry vermouth
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 1/2 lb. waxy potatoes , peeled, sliced 1/8″ thick
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 garlic clove, halved
- 1 cup shredded Comté or Gruyère
Brown-sugar syrup:
- 2 tsps. coriander seeds
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 tsps. whole black peppercorns
- Kosher salt
Ice cream:
- 6 ears of corn, husked
- 2 13.5-14-ounce cans unsweetened coconut milk
- 3/4 cup sweetened condensed milk
- 1 tsp. kosher salt
Garnishes:
- Ingredient info: Canned unsweetened coconut milk can be found at Indian, Latin, and Southeast Asian markets and many supermarkets.
Directions
- Step 1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 13x9x2″ or other 3-quart baking dish with 1 tablespoon butter; set aside.
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- Step 2 Heat remaining 1 tablespoon butter and oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add fennel; season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until fennel is evenly coated with fat and begins to sizzle, about 2 minutes.
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- Step 3 Add wine and 1 bay leaf. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until fennel is tender, about 20 minutes.
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- Step 4 Uncover, increase heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring often, until liquid has evaporated and fennel is golden brown and caramelized, about 10 minutes.
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- Step 5 Add 1-2 tablespoons water to deglaze pan, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan for added flavor.
- Step 6 Bring remaining bay leaf, potatoes, cream, milk, and garlic to a simmer in a large wide pot (watch carefully; do not let mixture boil over).
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- Step 7 Season with salt and pepper and cover with lid slightly ajar; simmer gently until potatoes are just tender and liquid has thickened, about 10 minutes.
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- Step 8 Using a slotted spoon, transfer 1/3 of potatoes to prepared dish, spreading in an even layer. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with 1/3 cup Comté.
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- Step 9 Cover with half of fennel. Repeat process, finishing with remaining 1/3 cup Comté. Pour cream mixture over.
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- Step 10 Cover gratin tightly with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove foil and bake gratin until top is bubbling and golden, about 30 minutes longer.