Recipe - Golden-Topped Fennel

4 X225g bulbs fennel, approx
Salt and freshly ground
black pepper
125 g Mixed white and wild rice
125 g Onions
275 g Small browncap mushrooms
1 small Bunch watercress
2 teaspoon Oil
2 tablespoon Soy sauce
25 g Lowfat spread
2 Level tbsp white plain flour
300 ml Skimmed milk
40 g Freshly grated Parmesan
cheese
Grilled cherry tomatoes and
watercress, to garnish

1. Halve the fennel lengthways; remove and discard the central core. Cook
in boiling salted water for about 15 minutes until just tender, then drain
well. Cook the rice in boiling salted water until just tender (follow
packet instructions); drain well.

2. Meanwhile, roughly chop the onions, slice the mushrooms and roughly chop
the watercress. Heat the oil in a frying pan and sauté the onion for 2
minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 45 minutes or until all
excess moisture is driven off. Add the rice, watercress and soy sauce;
season.

3. Meanwhile, make the Parmesan sauce. Melt the lowfat spread in a small
pan, then stir in the flour, followed by the milk. Bring slowly to the
boil, stirring continually, until sauce thickens. Whisk until smooth;
simmer gently for 12 minutes. Stir in 25g cheese and season. Keep warm
over a low heat.

4. Arrange the fennel halves in a shallow ovenproof dish. Pile the mushroom
mixture on to each one, spoon the sauce over, sprinkle with the remaining
Parmesan cheese and grill until golden brown. To serve, garnish with the
halved, grilled cherry tomatoes and watercress.

NOTES : Preparation time: 20 minutes Cooking time: 20 minutes
270 cals per serving high fibre Serves 4
Recipe by: Good Housekeeping, July 1997 Posted to MCRecipe Digest V1 #656
by Kerry Erwin kerry@north.org on Jul 06, 1997