Prep 25minBake 45minMakes 4-6 serves

If you’re not a big fan of fennel then you may just have to reconsider your standing once you have tried this dish. Baked fennel – particularly when teamed with the saltiness of anchovies, the crunch of crisp breadcrumbs and the savouriness of fresh thyme – is one of the best side dishes winter has to offer.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
  5 anchovy fillets, chopped
  60g butter
  100g coarse sourdough breadcrumbs
  2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
  4 baby fennel bulbs, trimmed, cut into quarters
  12 thyme sprigs, leaves picked
  250ml (1 cup) good-quality chicken stock

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C (180°C fan-forced).
2. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the anchovies and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until the anchovies dissolve. Add 30g of the butter and the breadcrumbs and toss until the breadcrumbs are lightly toasted. Transfer to a bowl, toss through the parsley and set aside.
3. Add the remaining oil and butter to the frying pan and heat over medium-high heat until the butter is foaming. Add the fennel in a single layer and cook for 3 minutes each side or until golden and starting to soften.
4. Transfer the fennel, in a single layer, to a 2 litre (8 cup) capacity dish, and pour any pan juices over the top. Scatter with the thyme leaves and pour the chicken stock over. Cover with foil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil, sprinkle with the breadcrumbs and bake for a further 20-25 minutes or until the fennel is tender when pierced with a skewer and the breadcrumbs are golden and crisp.
5. Serve immediately.

This recipe is from Anneka's SBS Food online column, Bakeproof: Winter Root Vegetables. CLICK HERE for more Bakeproof recipes.

Photography by Alan Benson.