Risotto with fennel, courgette and broad beans

Ingredients

• 1 onion, diced
• 350g risotto rice
• 150ml dry white wine
• 1.2 litre hot vegetable stock
• 2 small handfuls of broad beans
• 1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and quartered
• ½ medium courgette, chopped
• Few sprigs of fresh thyme
• 55g butter (for adding to the risotto at the end of cooking), plus three or four knobs for frying
• 55g grated Parmesan cheese
• Olive oil

Method

1. Gently fry the onion in a little olive oil and butter until soft. 
2. Add the rice, coat in the oil and cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and simmer for 5-10 minutes until reduced, then add the thyme leaves.
3. Add a ladle at a time of hot stock to the rice, allowing the liquid to absorb before adding the next ladle. Save a ladle or two of stock for the broad beans. 
4. Meanwhile sauté the fennel in a pan until golden, using a glug of olive oil and butter, then add the courgettes and cook for 3-4 minutes. 
5. Blanch the broad beans in the remaining vegetable stock for 3-5 minutes, or until cooked.
6. Add the fennel, courgettes and beans to the risotto. Season well and mix in the butter and Parmesan.