Recipe - Stew Of Fennel With Carrots And Pearl Onions

4 Fennel bulbs
1 tablespoon Butter
1 teaspoon Olive oil
2 cup Frozen pearl onions, thawed
1 teaspoon Sugar
4 lg Carrots, cut into matchstix
1 cup Up to ...
1 One half cup Defatted reducedsodium
Chicken stock
Salt & pepper to taste
2 tablespoon Finely chopped fennel fronds
Or fresh parsley

Cut off fennel stalks and remove strings from the bulbs with a vegetable
peeler. Cut each bulb into 8 wedges, but do not remove the core. Bring
salted water to a boil in a large saucepan, add fennel and blanch for 5
minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, blot with paper towels and set
aside. In a large castiron or nonstick skillet, heat One half T butter and 1/2
T oil together over medium high heat. Add half the fennel and saute until
nicely browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a dish and
reserve. Repeat with the remaining butter, oil and fennel. Add onions to
the skillet, sprinkle with sugar and saute shaking the skillet back and
forth, until nicely browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Return the fennel to the
skillet; add carrots and 1 cup stock. Season with salt & pepper and simmer,
covered, until the vegetables are tender 15 to 20 minutes, adding more
stock as necessary to keep the stew moist. Garnish the fennel fronds or
parsley.