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Risotto with fennel, courgette and broad beans recipe

Risotto with fennel, courgette and broad beans

This risotto has a sweet, perfumy, anise-like flavor. The broad beans add a delightful crunch

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.

Recipe by Jody Spencer

Taste Buds chef: Jody Spencer

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