This is a gem of a recipe.  Every time I make it there are requests for the recipe.

Bake at 400 for 30 minutes

1 fennel bulb green part cut off,  cut in half lengthwise and then sliced into thin half circles
1 medium cooking onion, cut in half and then cut into thin half circles
2 TBLSP. butter
1/2 cup flour
1 500 ml package of room temperature cream cheese diced into small cubes
four cups whole milk
three cups aged gouda
1 TBLSP good balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

melt butter (in that heavy saucepan you have) and saute onion and fennel on medium heat until they are caramelized. You are not looking for browning. You are just wanting them to soften and juicy and cooked down.
stir in flour and mix well
cook, stirring constantly, for two minutes
slowly add milk and stir until it is well combined with flour mixture and has no lumps.
cook for five minutes, slowly
add cream cheese and stir often until it is melted and blended
add dill, vinegar, salt and pepper
keep stirring often
add cheese and stir

Most recently I poured the mixture into my chafing dish at this point and served it as more of a sauce or fondue.
USUALLY I pour it into a casserole dish. Make sure your dish comes up at least two inches beyond where the sauce sits.
top the “casserole” with half a cup of grated gruyere mixed with 1 TBLSP dill

Bake until bubbly
serve with crackers, french or Italian bread cut into cubes or thick slices, apple slices, pear slices, the list goes on. Use it for whatever you like. You can toast the bread first as well.

It’s really good, as my sign says in the picture.

♥