this is my first post since moving back to europe. it has been quite busy the past couple of months.. i am loving switzerland so far and the food quality here is amazing. i buy local and organic produce at the farmers market, there is also some good lamb and other meats in small butcher shops i have found in town. certainly meat is quite pricey here, but i am not really into eating meat daily, anyways.... thus a vege recipe for a sunday dinner :)
this dish is actually my second personal encounter with fennel (in my own kitchen). i have to say that i was always a little suspicious of the licorice taste, which i am not a big fan of.. however, after making it roasted with olive oil and balsamic vinegar a couple of days ago, i realized, that when it's cooked the taste is not overpowering at all and quite pleasant. i made this risotto with short grain brown rice, you could do it with long grain (adding some more cooking time) and also substitute any veggies or mushrooms you have. i basically used whatever veges i had left in the fridge.
ingredients:
2 1/2 cups short grain brown rice
6 cups of water
1 medium leek, green part removed
1 fennel bulb
1 yellow pepper
4-5 cloves garlic
3-4 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tbs Butter
3 small thinly sliced onions
5 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cup of dry white wine (or marsala)
1/2 cup grated or shredded parmesan
directions:
IMPORTANT: do not wash the rice prior to cooking it, as it will not achieve the sticky/creamy texture caused by the starch.
Put the rice into a pot with the water. After it boils bring down to a simmer. Simmer about 20-25 minutes-until most water is absorbed. Drain and set aside.
Saute the chopped fennel, leek, and pepper until tender. Make sure you cook them until tender, because they won't soften much more when cooking in the risotto.
In a large pan sauté the thinly sliced onion in the olive oil and butter. Caramelize the onion on low heat and towards the end add the chopped galic cloves. Add the precooked rice, vegetables, 1 cup of the broth, and the wine. Stir until the liquid is absorbed. Add another 1/2 cup of broth and continue this adding/stirring until you use all of the broth.
When the last 1/2 cup of broth is absorbed, season the risotto with salt and pepper to taste. Lastly, add the parmesan. Serve very warm, with mâche salad.
