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1
Place the sun chokes in a cold water bath while preparing the casserole.
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2
Preheat the oven to 375.
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3
In a 9-inch cake pan, drizzle the garlic with the oil.
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4
Cover with foil and roast for 40 minutes, until tender.
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5
Meanwhile fry bacon till crisp in a very large frying pan.
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6
Remove bacon set aside.
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7
To the bacon fat in the pan add the butter and saute the onions till translucent about 5 minutes.
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8
Stir in the flour to coat the onions then stir in the cream.
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9
Once the garlic is cool enough to handle squeeze out the cloves.
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10
Mash the garlic to a paste and transfer to a Cream mixture.
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11
Add parsley, fennel seed, rosemary and simmer.
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12
Add the cheeses except for 2 tablespoons of the mozzarella.
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13
Stir some of the sauce into the eggs then add to the mixture.
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14
Stir in the bacon pieces keeping 1/3 for the topping.
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15
Season the mixture with salt and pepper.
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16
Remove the sun chokes from the water and place into the sauce.
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17
Stir to coat them.
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18
(No need to dry the sun choke.
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19
).
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20
Place into a buttered the sides and bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
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21
Top with the remaining cheese and bacon
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22
Bake the gratin for about 1-1 1/2 hours, until golden and bubbling.
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23
Cover loosely with foil if browning too much.
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24
Let cool for 20 minutes before cutting into squares and serving.
