Oh how I love fennel bulb with its unique flavor profile that imparts a sweet anise-like flavor -- whether sliced thinly and served raw in a salad with oranges and pistachios or sautéed in butter to bring out its natural sweetness -- like this fennel gratin.
Simply prepared, this Fennel, Leek and Artichoke Gratin features thinly sliced fennel sautéed with rings of sweet sliced leeks and artichoke hearts and baked in a thyme cream and topped with a crunchy coating of panko bread crumbs and gruyere -- and then brightly finished with lemon zest and fennel fronds.
You may have noticed that I snuck some minced anchovies into the crunchy topping for just the right amount of umami. Oh wow... anchovies don't belong everywhere, but they are close to perfection here. (They also tend toward being controversial and they are strictly optional in this gratin. Truth is out -- I've been known to sneak them in without a peep. You can too -- just make sure no one has a seafood allergy!)
Spring was on my mind when I created this, but it would be perfect served at a dinner party or Sunday supper year-round alongside a pork roast. Or on a holiday table as a compliment to my fig and balsamic glazed ham.
I've added a variation below that turns this into a complete meal with the addition of diced roasted chicken -- serve it alongside buttered egg noodles for a weeknight meal that comes together in less than 30 minutes.
Ingredients
- olive oil
- fennel bulbs
- leeks
- garlic cloves
- fresh thyme
- artichoke hearts
- dry white wine or vermouth
- heavy cream
- Kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- Gruyere cheesep
- panko breadcrumbs
- anchovy fillets
- lemon
See recipe card for quantities.
Jump to RecipeInstructions
Adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a gratin dish.
Heat olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add fennel and leeks,
Saute until softened, about 10 minutes.
Add garlic and thyme and saute for one minute.
Add wine deglazing pan and cook until reduced by half.
Add heavy cream and bring to a simmer, stirring to combine, about two minutes.
Stir in artichoke hearts. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer to a gratin dish.
In a medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs, gruyere, anchovies (if using), 1 Tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper.
Sprinkle bread crumb mixture evenly over the top.
Bake in oven until the topping is golden and crisp, about 30 minutes.
Top the gratin with lemon zest and fennel fronds and serve warm.
Hint: When slicing the fennel bulb, cut off the bottom and any browned outside layers. There is no need to cut out the core -- it will soften during cooking.
Leeks have a tendency to trap sand and dirt between their "sheaths". (I just learned that "sheath" is the correct term for the layers on a leek.) After slicing the leeks into rings, separate the rings and using a colander, rinse well in cold water to remove any grit.
Substitutions
- Leeks - use a thinly sliced medium yellow onion instead
- White Wine - swap for chicken stock and juice from half a lemon
- Heavy Cream - substitute half-and-half
- Gruyere Cheese -- use Fontina or Jarlsberg. Swiss, Emmenthal and Comte will work well too
- Panko Bread Crumbs -- substitute unseasoned bread crumbs. If you are in a pinch, substitute finely crushed crackers
- Water-packed Artichoke Hearts -- well-drained marinated quartered artichoke hearts can also be used
Variations
- Make it a Meal - Increase the heavy cream to 1-½ cups. Then mix in two cups of diced roast chicken to the fennel, onion and artichoke mixture before transferring to the grating dish. Top with the panko/gruyere mixture and bake.
- Fennel, Onion and Artichoke - instead of leeks, use a thinly sliced yellow or sweet onion. Allow for the onion to caramelize when sautéing
- Fennel, Leek and Apple - this would be perfect in fall when apples are in season. Peel and core two apples, slice thin and saute along with the fennel and leeks.
Equipment
- large saute pan
- large gratin dish or casserole
Storage
This can be prepared in advance, covered and refrigerated. Hold off on adding the topping until just prior to baking.
This is best served immediately, but can be stored covered in the refrigerator for uproar days.
🍽️ Recipe
Fennel, Leek and Artichoke Gratin
Equipment
- gratin dish or casserole
- large saute pan
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons olive oil divided
- 2 fennel bulbs sliced thinly by hand or with a mandolin, fronds reserved
- 2 leeks white bulb and light green part, sliced in ½” rounds
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme minced
- 1 can 14 oz of artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
- ½ cup dry white wine or vermouth substitute chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 oz Gruyere cheese grated
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 anchovy fillets minced
- Zest of 1 lemon
- Chopped fennel fronds or fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position. Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a gratin dish.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add fennel and leeks and sauté until softened, about 10 minutes.
- Add garlic and thyme and sauté for one minute. Add wine deglazing pan and cook until reduced by half.
- Add artichoke hearts and heavy cream and bring to a simmer, stirring to combine, about two minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a gratin dish.
- In a medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs, gruyere, anchovies (if using), 1 Tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper
- Sprinkle bread crumb mixture evenly over the top.
- Bake in oven until the topping is golden and crisp, about 30 minutes.
- Top the gratin with lemon zest and fennel fronds and serve warm.
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Pairing
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