Baked Fennel with Garlic Butter and Vermouth

BAKED FENNEL WITH GARLIC BUTTER AND VERMOUTH

(By Jamie Oliver from the first Naked Chef book)

 

For 4 people

Ingredients  

3 large heads of fennel

1 clove garlic, finely sliced

3 large knobs of butter

2 wine glasses of vermouth (white wine also works)

salt and freshly ground black pepper

 

Preheat oven to 220c/425f/Gas 7. Cut the top leaves off the fennel and slice finely, reserving the leaves. You can, if you wish, slice each fennel from the top to the root into about four pieces, but it's not important. You can slice them finer and more delicately if you like. Literally throw all the ingredients except the reserved leaves into a baking dish. Rip off a piece of greaseproof paper, run it under cold water and scrunch it up to make it soft. Place it snugly over and around the fennel, not the actual dish. This bakes and steams the fennel at the same time. Cook in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until tender. Scatter with the fennel leaves before serving.