Tian of Fennel and Kabocha 

From What’s in Season: Cooking with Fennel

This recipe come from Oakland’s [now closed] Bay Wolf Restaurant, where monthly menus highlight the season’s prime ingredients, often following traditional uses from the regional cuisines of the Mediterranean. Michael Wild, founding owner and executive chef, confirms our accolades for fennel and dedicates a whole month to this versatile vegetable. Here are a few of the creative dishes prepared and created by Wild and Chef de Cuisine Louis Le Gassic to highlight fennel.

Serves 8

2 bulbs fennel cut into ¼ inch slices
½ kabocha, peeled, seeded, and sliced into ¼ inch slices
1 small red onion, sliced
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons breadcrumbs
4 tablespoon grated Reggiano

Preheat oven to 350°. Toss the sliced fennel, kabocha, and red onion in 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Place into an ovenproof baking dish and drizzle the water throughout the dish. Put into the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes until the fennel and kabocha are soft.

Top with breadcrumbs and Reggiano. Return to oven and bake until golden brown. Serve hot.