- 1/4 cup chopped shallots
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
- 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
- 6 small fennel bulbs, trimmed, halved lengthwise, fronds reserved for garnish
- 2 cups dry white wine
- 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, cut into pieces
- 6 ounces soft fresh goat cheese (such as Montrachet), crumbled
- Preheat oven to 450°F. Butter 13 x 9 x 2-inch broilerproof baking dish. Sprinkle shallots, rosemary and garlic over bottom of prepared dish. Cook fennel in boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 12 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer fennel, cut side up, to prepared dish. Pour wine over fennel. Dot with butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Bake fennel uncovered until tender, basting occasionally with wine and turning fennel over halfway through baking, about 30 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Rewarm, uncovered, in 350°F oven for about 15 minutes before continuing.)
- Preheat broiler. Turn fennel cut side up. Sprinkle goat cheese over fennel. Broil until cheese melts and begins to brown, watching closely to avoid burning, about 6 minutes.
- Transfer fennel to platter. Season wine mixture in baking dish to taste with salt and pepper; spoon over fennel. Garnish platter with reserved fennel fronds and serve immediately.