Fennel and Leeks with Manchego Cheese

This recipe is adapted from “Get Skinny on Fabulous Food” by Suzanne Somers. The original recipe calls for Parmigiano Reggiano. Since I wanted to avoid lung-building food I thought of substituting Pecorino Romano, which is an obvious choice. But then I got creative. Manchego is a Spanish hard sheep cheese that’s a little less salty than Pecorino Romano and perfect for warming the digestion. Serve this with lamb chops when you need a lot of warmth or as a main course with some steamed vegetables for a light meal that is warm and comforting.

Serves 4 as an entree

1 Tbs. oil
4 medium fennel bulbs
4 medium leeks
6 Tbs. unslated butter
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 large eggs
8 ounces Manchego cheese, grated
freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9 x 9 inch ovenproof dish by rubbing it with the oil.

Cut the green stems off the fennel, leaving just the bulb. Trim off the bottom and peel off any damaged outer leaves. Slice the fennel bulbs length-wise into quarters and rinse.

Cut the green tops off the leeks. Trim off the bottoms. Slice the leeks in half length-wise, then cut into pieces about 4 inches long. Rinse well, separating the layers to remove any sand or dirt.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the leeks and fennel and boil for 15 minutes. Pour the vegetables into a colander to drain. Place the pot back on the stove over medium-high heat. When the pot gets hot, add the butter, then the vegetables, stirring until the fennel and leeks become slightly brown. Season with pepper and transfer to the casserole dish.

In a bowl, beat the eggs until fluffy. Add 6 ounces of the grated Manchego to the eggs and stir to combine. Pour the egg mixture over the vegetables. Top with the remaining 2 ounces of cheese and a little nutmeg.

Bake for 20 minutes. The top should be a little browned.