Book Club Dinner

Last week, it was my turn to host our monthly neighborhood book club meeting and I volunteered to cook dinner. We had about twelve people for this month's book, "The Art Of Racing In The Rain".

I made pork tenderloin with a mustard cream sauce, chicken breast stuffed with spinach, sundried tomato and goat cheese with a tsaziki sauce, green beans sauteed with shallot and mushrooms, and a potato fennel gratin.





I've made the potato fennel gratin so many times for family gatherings and dinner parties and it is always a hit so I thought I'd share the recipe. It's from Ina Garten.


Potato Fennel Gratin

2 small fennel bulbs
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter, unslated
2 pounds russet potatoes (about 4 large potatoes)
2 cups heavy cream
2 1/2 cups grated Gruyere cheese
3 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter the inside of a 10X15X2 inch baking dish.

Remove stalks from fennel and cut bulbs in half lenghtwise. Remove the cores and thinly slice the bulbs crosswise, making approx. 4 cups of sliced fennel. Saute the fennel and onion in the olive oil and butter on medium heat for about 15 minutes, until tender.

Peel potatos and thinly slice (I use a mandoline---works great!) Mix the potatoes in a large bowl with 2 cups of cream, 2 cups Gruyere, and salt and pepper. Add the fennel and onion and mix well.

Pour into baking dish, pressing down to make smooth. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake for 1 hour covered with foil, then 1/2 hour uncovered till top is golden brown and potatoes are cooked through.