Sausage Stuffed Fennel Au Gratin

This recipe comes from Gourmet magazine's November 1990 issue. I have not tried this yet but it sounds pretty darned good.

• Ready In: 55 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2  fennel bulbs, 3/4 pound each, trimmed
• 2  italian sweet sausage, about 1/3 pound total, casings discarded and meat crumbled
• 1⁄4 cup sweet onion, finely chopped
• 1  garlic clove, minced
• 2  tablespoons  cream
• 2  tablespoons  fresh breadcrumbs
• 6  tablespoons parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Directions

1. In a large saucepan of boiling water simmer the fennel bulbs for 10 to 15 minutes, or until it is just tender. Drain the fennel in a colander and refresh the bulbs under cold water. Pat the bulbs dry with paper towels.
2. Halve the fennel lengthwise so that the halves will lie flat when arranged cut sides up. Remove a few of the small inner stalks from each half, forming shallow cavities. Chop up the stalks that were removed.
3. In a large skillet cook the sausage over moderate heat, stirring and breaking up the lumps, until the meat is no longer pink. Pour off ( if necessary) all but 1 tablespoon of the fat, add the onion and the garlic and cook the mixture, stirring, until the onion is softened. Stir in the cream, bread crumbs and the chopped fennel. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. In a shallow baking dish arrange the fennel halves, cut side up, in one layer. Mound the sausage mixture onto the fennel and sprinkle it with the Parmesan. Bake the stuffed fennel in the middle of a preheated 400 F oven for 15 to 20 minutes.