baked fennel with bacon & cheese

How To Make baked fennel with bacon & cheese

• 
  Step 1
  In a frying pan fry the bacon until crisp, drain on paper towels { do not discard bacon grease }.
• 
  Step 2
  Sauté the onion & the garlic in the bacon grease till the onion has caramelized slightly, remove from the grease.
• Step 3
  Cook the chicken stock with the butter, salt, pepper & Italian seasoning on low till the butter has melted, and then remove from the heat.
• 
  Step 4
  Cut off and discard upper stalks of the fennel. Remove any wilted outer layers and cut a thin slice from each fennel base.
• 
  Step 5
  Wash fennel and cut each bulb into quarters.
• 
  Step 6
  In a shallow baking dish either spray with a non stick spray or line with parchment or foil, and arrange the fennel quarters in the baking dish, cut side up.
• 
  Step 7
  Spread the onion/garlic mixture on the top of the fennel.
• 
  Step 8
  Pour the broth mixture over the fennel { make sure you don’t move the onions off the fennel } and sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
• Step 9
  Bake, covered, in a 325 degree F oven for 1 hour.
• 
  Step 10
  Mix the remaining Parmesan cheese with the bacon and the Panko.
• 
  Step 11
  Remove cover; sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup cheese/Panko, bacon mixture. Bake, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes more or until fennel is tender and top is golden. Baking time on this will depend on your oven.
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