You can enjoy this dish slightly brothy, or lightly caramelized by continuing to simmer the fennel after it is tender, until all the stock evaporates. If you are serving the fennel with a grilled piece of fish or meat, keep it nice and juicy. On the other hand, if you are serving the fennel as a contorno with a piece of meat or fish that has its own sauce, then cook off the liquid and serve the fennel dry.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 servings

　　2 fennel bulbs

　　3 tablespoons unsalted butter

　　Salt

　　Freshly ground white pepper

　　2/3 cup Chicken Stock (page 74) or canned reduced-sodium chicken broth

　　

Step 1

Trim the fennel following the illustrated directions opposite. Slice the pieces crosswise into 3/4-inch strips.

　　

Step 2

Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat until foaming. Scatter the fennel pieces over the butter, season them lightly with salt and pepper, and cook, tossing and stirring, until they begin to brown, about 6 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat so the stock is simmering. Cover the pan and cook until the fennel is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. During the last few minutes, remove the lid from pan so about half the liquid evaporates. If you’d like to serve the fennel “dry”and lightly caramelized, continue cooking until all the liquid has boiled off and the fennel is lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Taste, and add more salt and pepper if you like.

　　From Lidia's Italian-American Kitchen by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich Copyright © 2001 by A La Carte Communications and Tutti a Tavola, LLC. Published by arrangement with Alfred A. Knopf, an imprint of The Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.Buy the full book from Amazon.