Fennel risotto with lemon and chilli
Notes from February, memories of a trip to Québec and a recipe for risotto.
I can’t believe it’s nearly the end of February. January inched by, it felt like I was counting every second and now here we are, about to emerge into March! The first blooms have arrived and you can almost hear the collective sigh of relief.
I’ve being enjoying trying out some new recipes this month. Some favourites were Melissa Hemsley’s Filipino-style rice soup and this recipe for Tom Kha Gai — both were so tasty and nourishing. I also had a go at making Alexandra Stafford’s super simple recipe for naan breads which has taken curry night to a different level.
And although spring is almost (almost!) in the air, we’re not out of the winter woods yet, which means there is still time for some more cosy meals that stick to your ribs. Honestly, I’m not mad about it. Today I’m sharing a recipe for risotto that is comforting but bright in its flavours.
I first made this dish for my brother when we went on a trip to deepest darkest Québec. The place we stayed in looked like the house I would like to live in some day: wooden, filled with books and surrounded by nature — although I might pass on the outdoor loo. We spent the days exploring waterfalls and nature reserves and the rest of the time we read, Jack played his guitar and we took it in turns to cook. A hummingbird came to visit the planters on the porch each morning and night. It was a truly special place.
My memories from those days are drenched in golden light. It’s the only trip my brother and I have taken together now we’re all grown up and I hope we’ll have a chance to do another soon.
We ate exceptionally well during the trip (thank you, brother-chef) and this risotto is something I’ve made many times since.
Cooking risotto is like meditation — lots of methodical dicing and slow and steady stirring to release the starch from the rice. This is not your quick-fix weeknight dinner, but nor is it as time-consuming as you might think.
The risottos I make mostly follow the same formula: classic risotto bianco with the addition of either roasted or sautéed vegetables. Roasting the fennel here really brings out its sweetness. Here goes:
Roasted fennel risotto with lemon and chilli
Serves 4
Ingredients:
2 bulbs fennel, finely sliced (keep the fronds)
1 shallot, roughly chopped
1 white onion, finely chopped
2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
3 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
300g risotto rice
100ml white wine
1 litre chicken or vegetable stock
2 (generous) knobs of butter
olive oil
salt
30g (approx) parmesan cheese, finely grated
Zest and juice of half a lemon
A few pinches of chilli flakes
Method
Preheat the oven to 200 degrees celsius. Put the sliced fennel and shallot in an overproof dish. Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and squeeze over the juice of half a lemon. Cook in the oven for roughly 30 minutes, until the fennel is tender and just beginning to caramelise in places.
While the fennel is roasting, make the risotto. Heat a knob of butter and two tablespoons of olive oil in a pan. Add the onions and celery, cook on low heat until the onions are translucent and starting to brown ever so slightly. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two until fragrant and golden, being careful not to let it burn.
Bring your stock to a low simmer on a separate hob.
Add the rice to the onions and celery and toast for a minute or so (you should notice the rice starting to turn translucent at the edges). Pour in the white wine and lower the heat.
Once the white wine has evaporated, add your first ladleful of stock. Stir the rice and allow it to absorb the all of the stock before adding another ladle. Continue this way, adding stock one ladleful at a time and stirring all the while.
Check on the fennel and when it is done, remove from the oven.
The rice is ready when it is tender but still a little firm in the middle (without being chalky) — this can take 25-35 minutes. You’ll need to taste it and see, adding a little more stock if necessary. Season with salt.
Add the fennel to the rice. Stir it through. Turn off the heat.
Add the second knob of butter, a generous handful of parmesan and a drizzle of olive oil, then put the lid on and allow it to sit for just a couple of minutes.
Remove the lid and give everything a final stir. Taste and adjust any seasoning. Serve with a garnish of chopped fennel fronds, the remaining parmesan, some lemon zest and a pinch of chilli flakes. Eat straight away.
Tomorrow I plan to have a go at making arancini with the leftovers.
I hope you enjoy! Until next time, ta-ra!
Looks amazing! 😍