WINE-BRAISED FENNEL

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs
• 1 tbsp salted butter, melted
• 8 large fennel bulbs
• 2 tbsp salted butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp sage, crumbled
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp freshly ground pepper
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup chicken broth

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. To prepare buttered crumbs, combine bread crumbs and 1 tbsp melted butter in a small bowl; set aside.
3. Trim base of fennel bulbs; slice off tops. Remove outer layer of bulbs. Quarter trimmed bulbs lengthwise and cut out centermost piece of core, leaving wedges intact.
4. Cook fennel in boiling salted water for 5 minutes. Remove from water using a slotted spoon. Place in a single layer in a greased shallow 3 quart baking dish.
5. Combine 2 tbsp melted butter, sage, salt and pepper; drizzle over fennel. Sprinkle with parsley.
6. Combine wine and broth. Pour wine mixture along sides of dish, being careful not to wash any of the butter mixture off fennel.
7. Bake, covered, for 45 minutes. Remove baking dish from oven. Uncover and sprinkle fennel with buttered crumbs. Continue baking, uncovered, until buttered crumbs are golden, about 15 minutes.