Fennel and Artichokes au Gratin

Cheese makes life better. I like cheese and I have a good life.See the correlation? These is a rather rich dish and sort of served as the main course in place of a meat course with the green beans and potatoes as side dishes. 

Ingredients:

1 Small onion chopped

1 Large fennel bulb

1 12oz package of frozen artichoke hearts

Fennel seed

½ Cup of white wine

1 Cup of Stock

1 Cup of milk or half and half

1 Tablespoon of cornstarch

¼ Cup of parmesan cheese

¼ Cup of crumbled feta cheese

Method:

Sauté the onion in olive oil with the fennel until the onion is translucent, add the fennel seed and sauté one minute, add the fennel and stir well, after a further two minutes add the wine and simmer till almost completely evaporated. Add the artichokes and the stock brings to the boil. Reduce temperature cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes till fennel is tender and liquid is reduced. Meanwhile combine milk and cornstarch in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat stirring constantly till thickened to make a white sauce, season lightly with salt and pepper, set aside. When fennel is cooked combine with the white sauce and the parmesan cheese. Spoon mixture into a medium casserole dish and top with the crumbled feta, bake at 375 for 20 minutes till lightly browned. 

Serves four to six