Parmesan Fennel Gratin | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Parmesan Fennel Gratin** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Each week I follow along with Ina Garten (aka the Barefoot Contessa) and attempt to recreate one of her dishes in my tiny New York City kitchen. The catch? This is my version of cooking school and I’m making these recipes for the first time. I’ll share both my successes and um, challenges, along the way and we’ll see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Surprise Italian Party”

The Set-up: Antonia is coming to visit and Ina is surprising her with an Italian themed dinner party.

The Menu: Balsamic Roasted Beef, Parmesan Fennel Gratin, White Bean Arugula Salad, Parmesan Crisps, Limoncello and Ice Cream with Biscotti, Rossinis

0:51 – I heard a rumor once upon a time that Ina was a spy in a former life and with the level of scheming she does around surprise parties I’m beginning to think there’s some truth there…

1:14 – The party is for her friend Antonia and since she’s Italian that’s the theme of the meal. First up: White Bean Arugula Salad.

2:33 – We head outside with Ina for some rosemary and encounter Michael the Florist. “Ciao, Michael!”

3:05 - Back inside where we learn how Ina met Antonia. In a nutshell: Ina heard that Antonia was fun, so she looked her up and the rest was history!

4:27 – The white beans for the salad are coming together and Ina’s tossing them with roasted red peppers and prosciutto.

5:43 – Now Ina gives us a run down of her Party Pro Tips… #1: Keep it really simple., #2: Do as much ahead of time as possible. #3: Make familiar dishes that you know will turn out right. #4: Combine store bought items with homemade.

6:06 – Ina says that the white beans should never be salted while they’re cooking or it makes them tough.

10:26 – Next up: Parmesan Fennel Gratin and Ina is simplifying the process by essentially cooking the fennel twice. Once with wine and chicken stock to tenderize the vegetables and again at high heat.

11:43 – Outside with Michael the Florist again and he’s decided to “add a little drama to the table.” I can’t wait to hear how…

12:18 – As it turns out he doesn’t mean Real Housewives style with wine throwing, but with fig leaves and whole figs. DRAMA!! Oh, Michael you are a delight.

13:52 – We’re back with Ina to make the crunchy panko topping for the fennel gratin. Impromptu French lesson: “gratin” doesn’t necessarily mean cheese, “gratinée” however is a sure sign cheese is involved.

14:20 – Ina observes that she really prefers fennel cooked instead of raw, isn’t it amazing the difference in flavor you can get through the cooking process?

18:29 – Now we’re working on the centerpiece of the dinner Balsamic Roasted Beef

and Ina’s coating an entire filet of beef with a mustard/balsamic glaze. Mmmmm.

19:13 – She says a friend of hers Brent Newson taught her to make this and that he’s the “best caterer in the Hamptons, which is saying something.” High praise?

20:42 – Now she’s coating the glaze with a heavy layer of cracked black pepper – spicy!

21:30 – Ina joins Michael the Florist outside to see is handiwork and cackle over their plot to make Antonia eat dinner with friends. They are the evil geniuses of fun.

21:51 – Ina says she’ll save him some food - wait a second, is Michael not invited to the party? Antonia was a florist before she moved is there a beef here that never really got squashed. Maybe that’s what he meant by “adding drama to the table…”

22:36 – Now for the hors d’oeuvres - Parmesan Crisps (aka frico) and Ina says these hit three of the points on her Party Pro Tips list: Simple, Tested, Made in Advance. Nice.

26:49 – Cocktail time! Rossinis are a mixture of fresh strawberries pureed until smooth, simple syrup, and orange liqueur mixed with prosecco. Sounds heavenly.

27:22 – The guests have arrived and have their drinks in hand while they wait for the guest of honor to arrive… Antonia seems genuinely surprised and delighted this is so, so sweet.

28:02 – Ina puts the finishing touches on the White Bean and Arugula Salad, slices up the Balsamic Roasted Beef, and pulls the Parmesan Fennel Gratin from the oven. It all looks gorgeous, naturally.

29:54 – Last but not least, dessert (Limoncello and Ice Cream with Biscotti a store bought item) and a toast to Antonia.

Final Thoughts:
This was a great episode to watch right before we have people come for a little holiday gathering this weekend – I need to keep Ina’s Party Pro Tips in mind!

The Italian theme of this dinner was so subtle and elegant. Not a meatball or piece of garlic bread to be found!

Alas, there was no Michael the Florist in sight at dinner. The petals will have to fly another day.

Lessons Learned:
Parmesan Fennel Gratin is really straightforward and essentially combines a braising technique with roasting. For the first 35-45 minutes the wedges of fennel are in a covered dish with white wine and chicken stock, then once the vegetables are sprinkled with the panko topping the oven temperature increases to crisp the bread crumbs and partially caramelize the fennel.

Honestly, the trickiest part is prepping the fennel bulbs and fitting them into the baking dish. Since the fennel will cook down a little during the braising process it’s important to snuggle the wedges in fairly tightly. I’d suggest alternating the wider “stalk” ends with the narrower “frond” ends to get a few more pieces in the dish.

Normally I think Ina’s seasoning is spot on, but with this the black pepper was a little too strong for me. I’d probably add a few more dabs of butter and reduce the pepper to 1/2 teaspoon on the fennel and maybe just 1/4 teaspoon in the topping.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes, indeed. I used a medium cutting board, a large casserole dish, a chef’s knife, a liquid measuring cup, measuring spoons, and a microplane grater. That’s it!

The Verdict:
Both Mike and I were shocked how much we loved the roasted fennel in the Roasted Pork Loin with Fennel we had for dinner a few weeks ago, so I was really excited to make Parmesan Fennel Gratin. I liked the results in the gratin and it’s really easy to make, but honestly I preferred the caramelized, roasted version from the pork loin. I’d like to try it again, but with a new version that recaptures the depth of flavor we loved so much.

Roasted Pork Loin with Fennel | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Roasted Pork Loin with Fennel** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Episode: “Fireside Dinner”

The Set-up: Ina is making a girls night dinner for her friend and garden designer Edwina von Gal (how amazing is that name?)

The Menu: Roast Loin of Pork with Fennel, Sautéed Cabbage, Rum Raisin Rice Pudding

0:32 – Ina says she likes to make a cozy dinner on nights when there’s a “snap in the air.” We’re having a snap alright – I’m freeeeezing!

1:21 – First up on the menu: Roast Loin of Pork with Fennel which she calls a one pot meal.

2:13 – Lots of good veggies in this dish – onions, carrots, potatoes – and fennel Ina’s “favorite vegetable.”

3:30 – She’s not kidding about this one-pot meal stuff – the vegetables go right from the cutting board to the roasting pan for seasoning. No spoon either, just clean hands!

4:05 – With a garden designer coming to dinner it only makes sense to take a trip outside to cut some fresh English thyme to use in the next phase of the recipe. Is it weird that I think that’s the height of decadence – fresh herbs for the picking at all times?

5:39 – Now for the pork loin marinade – garlic, salt, pepper, and a pun on thyme taking time. Oh, Ina you loveable goof.

6:44 – Now the mustard goes in and this looks like a delicious marinade/paste/rub hybrid. Yum.

10:00 – While the vegetables roast Ina starts on dessert: Rum Raisin Rice Pudding. Uh-oh. This isn’t the first time Ina has tried to convince me that rice pudding is a good idea. There was also this episode.

11:17 – Okay, well there’s rum involved, but I still just can’t even. No, I’m so sorry Ina, but I just can follow you down that dark path. Shudder.

12:33 – Another trip to the garden, this time for the flower arrangement. White dahlias, natch.

13:25 – Now for a little Entertaining 101. Ina says that the purpose of flowers and especially candles on the table is to focus attention inward on your dining companions. Which makes sense, I suppose.

14:06 – I thought (hoped) we were done with the rice pudding, but it was not to be. It’s back and it looks like a bowl of my culinary nightmares. Too dramatic?

19:39 – Whew, she put it in the fridge out of sight. Now Ina is adding the pork loin on top of the vegetables.

20:14 – A quick check in with Edwina and Charlie (her lab-mix?) shopping for plants. She doesn’t strike me as a rule follower, but Ina has a strict color scheme for her garden, so she caves and buys a giant branchy shrub with purple flowers.

21:42 – The pork loin is done and resting under it’s little foil tent just in time for Edwina to arrive toting a giant bush.

22:10 – Edwina insists that the spindly purple thing be planted immediately and Ina goes right along with her. dinner plans be damned.

23:58 – Present number 2 is a pair of bright pink, opera length gardening gloves. Okay, this I can get behind and Edwina is back in my good graces. I know she was nervous there for a minute.

26:27 – Ina is making Sautéed Cabbage as a side dish and I can’t decide whether I’m brave enough to try this.

27:31 – Also, do cabbage and fennel count as green vegetables? I could maybe be on board with it if I were confident there were some worthy vitamins in there.

28:44 – Edwina has the purple creeper (not it’s real name) in the ground and now it’s time to plate up dinner.

29:53 – Dinner is served and it’s like the cozy fireside meal of my dreams, except for dessert which in my world is chocolate cake. Cheers to cake!

Final Thoughts:
This seems like a very low-stress dinner, which I am 100% on board with.
I need to further consider this cabbage situation. It’s a complex issue.
Is it still presumptuous to bring someone something for their garden if you’re their garden designer? Is it like being a personal shopper for shrubs?

Lessons Learned:
You might be wondering why on earth I’d want to make Roast Loin of Pork with Fennel after last month’s debacle with the Herb Marinated Pork Loin, but the reason is simple: I refuse to be defeated by a cut of meat. Also, this recipe did not involve pan sautéing and I bought a new instant read meat thermometer, so my confidence was restored.

The recipe steps are just slightly fussy – allowing the pork loin to stand with the mustard/garlic paste marinade, roasting the vegetables first, then adding the meat – but none of them are at all difficult. I noticed that Ina just tossed the cut vegetables right in the roasting pan with the spices, which even saves on an extra bowl.

The only small changes I made to the process were rotating the pork loin halfway through the cooking time (about the 25 minute mark) to ensure even cooking. I did not want a repeat of my last pork loin which was too pink in some spots and dry in others – not good.

I also felt that the vegetables were plenty done after 30 minutes of roasting alone, plus another 40-45 minutes with the pork, so while the pork rested I turned the oven off and just kept them warm.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes, but (are you noticing a trend?) the roasting pan is a key element – I used it to toss the vegetables with the butter and seasoning and then put it right in the oven. I also used a small prep-sized food processor, medium cutting board, and chef’s knife. Measuring spoons, tongs, a wooden spatula, cotton kitchen twine, and a meat thermometer (essential!!) round out the kit.

The Verdict:
I made Roast Loin of Pork with Fennel for Mike and I earlier this week and we were both really, really pleased with the results. The pork has great flavor from the garlic and mustard paste, but the unexpected star was the fennel. Neither of us could recall having roasted fresh fennel before and we both loved the caramelized richness. Next time I’ll throw in a few more bulbs so that there are extras. Mike’s one addition would be to make additional mustard sauce to serve over the slices of pork loin. . I would definitely make this again for a cozy dinner just for us or when we have guests.