People often don’t know what to do with fennel. It’s delicious raw, shaved into salads and coleslaws, but a little time in the oven transforms fennel into a silky, delicious vegetable with a much milder aniseed flavor than the raw stuff. And when you add cream, butter, and cheese, fennel becomes a decadent, comforting side dish that might just make you skip the potatoes altogether. To make things even more exciting, this fennel gratin recipe is topped with fresh, coarse breadcrumbs that brown in the oven for a nice crunch that contrasts with the creamy gratin underneath. Best of all, the whole dish comes together quickly, spending most of its time in the oven.

Fennel tastes very different from cabbage, but grows much the same. It has a core, and that core needs to come out. If your fennel came with stalks and fronds, cut those off and use them for something else. (Many markets will cut them off for you and just sell the bulbs.) Cut the bulb in half lengthwise, then use a V-cut to cut out the core. Then place the half cut side down on the cutting board and slice the fennel thinly, ½ inch thick. You can also use a mandoline, but not on the thinnest setting. Place the fennel slices in a baking dish. Try to get them as close together as possible.

Next, cut off the greenest part of the leek, leaving the white and light green part. Now cut the leek in half and wash it well. The layers of leek often hide a lot of dirt. Once it is clean, cut it into long pieces, three to four inches long and ½ inch wide. Break the leek apart and place it on the fennel.

Place the butter, cream, cheese and a pinch of salt and pepper in a saucepan on the stove and heat over medium heat, stirring with a whisk. Make sure the cheese is melted and fully incorporated. Add the stock (chicken or vegetable stock will work equally well, so choose whichever you prefer) and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly.