Braised Fennel

This dish does well made in large batches, but it is, paradoxically, one of my favorite meals to be eaten alone—either out of the cast-iron pan in which it was cooked or a shallow bowl laden with the cooking liquid. Thick crusty bread, grilled until crunchy and flecked with char, rounds out the meal. It pairs beautifully with a glass of ice-cold white wine, a magazine, and a paper towel for a napkin.