Ingredients

• 2 C. chicken broth
• 1 med. onion, minced
• 2 C. low fat milk
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 2 heads fennel (about 4" wide)
• 2 lb. Russet potatoes
• 2 T. Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 1/4 C. cornstarch
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 C. Fontina cheese
• 2 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1/2 lb. thin sliced cooked ham
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, combine chicken broth and cornstarch, mix until smooth and set aside.
2. In a 2-quart saucepan over high heat, saute onion in oil until limp. Add chicken broth mixture, milk, nutmeg and pepper; bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add Fontina cheese and stir until melted.
3. Squeeze liquid out of spinach. Rinse fennel and chop feathery green leaves, reserving 1/2 cup. Trim and discard remaining stalks, root ends, bruised areas and coarse fibers from fennel heads; cut heads crosswise into 1/8" slices. Scrub and peel potatoes; cut lengthwise into 1/8" slices.
4. Lightly oil a shallow 3-quart casserole dish. Layer 1/3 of the potatoes, overlapping slightly, on the bottom. Cover potatoes with 1/2 of the fennel, 1/2 of the ham and 1/2 of the spinach. Spoon 1/3 of the Fontina sauce over the spinach. Repeat layers. Spoon 1/3 of sauce on top of spinach and top with remaining 1/3 of potatoes. Spoon remaining 1/3 of sauce over top. Bake, covered, at 375 for 30 mins.
5. Uncover and continue baking until top is richly browned and potatoes are tender when pierced, about 1 hour. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, chopped fennel leaves and bake 5 mins. longer. Let stand 10 mins. before cutting. Serves 4-6.