- 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
- 3 cups thinly sliced onions (about 2)
- 1 pound mushrooms, sliced
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds, chopped
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 10 ounces soft fresh goat cheese (such as Montrachet), crumbled
- 1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, very thinly sliced
- 4 cups very thinly sliced cored fennel bulbs (about 2 pounds), fronds chopped and reserved
- Paprika
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly oil 13 x 9 x 2-inch glass baking dish. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and sauté until golden, about 15 minutes. Add mushrooms and fennel seeds and sauté until mushrooms are brown, about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, then flour.
- Gradually stir milk and cream into mushroom mixture. Simmer over medium heat until sauce thickens slightly, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add half of goat cheese, 1/3 cup Parmesan, salt and pepper. Stir until goat cheese melts, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
- Mix potatoes, sliced fennel and mushroom mixture in large bowl. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Cover dish with foil. Bake until potatoes are almost tender, about 1 hour. Sprinkle with remaining goat cheese and 2 tablespoons Parmesan, then paprika. Bake uncovered until vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes longer. Remove from oven; let stand 15 minutes. Top with reserved chopped fennel fronds.