POTATO AND FENNEL GRATIN WITH GORGONZOLA, OLIVES AND TOMATO-MARJORAM SAUCE

Potato and Fennel Gratin with Gorgonzola, Olives and Tomato-Marjoram Sauce image

Yield Makes 6 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

1 garlic clove, peeled, flattened
4 1/2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes or white-skinned potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1/8-inch-thick rounds
1/4 cup oil-cured black olives, pitted, chopped
1 1/4 cups crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (about 5 ounces)
2 medium fennel bulbs, trimmed, cored, cut into 1/4-inch-wide strips (about 3 cups)
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 cup hot whole milk
6 oil-cured black olives, pitted, halved
Tomato-Marjoram Sauce

Steps:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Rub inside of 9x9x2-inch metal baking pan with garlic clove. Rub pan with 1/2 tablespoon butter. Cover bottom with 1/4 of potatoes, overlapping slightly. Sprinkle 1/3 of chopped olives over, then 1/4 of cheese. Top with 1/3 of fennel; sprinkle with salt and pepper and 1/3 of marjoram. Dot with 1 tablespoon butter. Repeat layering two more times. Top with remaining potatoes, then half of remaining cheese; dot with re-maining 1 tablespoon butter. Pour milk over; arrange halved olives atop. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover pan with foil.
Bake gratin until vegetables are almost tender, about 50 minutes. Remove foil; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake uncovered until potatoes are tender and golden, about 25 minutes longer. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm in 350°F oven until heated through, about 20 minutes.) Let gratin stand 15 minutes. Serve with Tomato-Marjoram Sauce.