Oven wonders

BAKED FENNEL WITH PARMESAN CHEESE

SERVES 6–8 (as a side dish)

I used to blanch fennel before roasting it, but if the oven is really hot, you don’t need to. This is one of my favourite side dishes.

• 4 fennel bulbs
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 3 teaspoons fennel seeds, coarsely crushed in a mortar
• 3 teaspoons chilli flakes
• sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper
• 25g Parmesan cheese, finely grated

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C fan-forced (400°F); gas mark 6.

2. Trim the tips of the fennel bulbs, halve them and remove any coarse or discoloured outer leaves (reserve any little fronds you find). Cut each half into 2-2.5cm thick wedges, keeping them intact at the base. Toss in a bowl with the olive oil, garlic, fennel seeds, chilli flakes, any reserved fennel fronds and plenty of seasoning. Put into a gratin dish and cover tightly with foil.

Bake the fennel for about 20 minutes (the undersides should turn pale gold), then remove the foil. Sprinkle on the Parmesan and return to the oven for a final 10-15 minutes, or until the fennel