Technique - Make a béchamel, add cheese - result is Mornay sauce.  Pour over blanched vegetables, top with breadcrumbs and bake.  (My favorites are fennel, and beets/potatoes).

1 pound root vegetable
2 ounces butter
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups milk
1/2 yellow onion
3 cloves
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup each grated Gruyere and Parmesan cheeses
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
salt and white pepper to taste

Clean the vegetables.  Blanch them in a pot of salted boiling water to allow quicker time in the oven.  Slice thinly or leave in quarters.

Make the béchamel: Place the milk, onion, cloves and bay leaf into a saucepot, heat over low heat for 15 minutes to allow flavors to infuse.  In another saucepot, melt the butter over low heat.  Whisk in the flour, cooking for 2 or 3 minutes without browning.  Remove the onion and spices from the milk and slowly whisk the warm milk into the roux.  Simmer the sauce gently for 15 minutes to cook out the floury flavor - don't allow the sauce to stick to the bottom of the pot.  Stir in the cheeses.  Season to taste with salt and white pepper.  Arrange the fennel in a buttered baking dish, pour the sauce over and top with breadcrumbs.  Bake at 400 degrees until browned on top.  Serves 4 generously.