Risotto With Fennel
Description
This comforting Risotto With Fennel is a quintessential Italian comfort food that balances the delicate sweetness of fennel with the creamy richness of Arborio rice. The dish features finely chopped onions and thinly sliced fennel bulbs slowly simmered in light chicken stock until tender. Finished with a generous amount of unsalted butter and freshly grated Parmesan cheese, the texture becomes luxuriously smooth and velvety. The subtle warmth of freshly grated nutmeg adds a sophisticated depth to the flavor profile. This vegetarian-friendly main course is perfect for a cozy weeknight dinner or a special weekend gathering. It pairs beautifully with a light green salad and a crisp white wine. Simple ingredients come together to create a restaurant-quality meal that feels homemade and inviting.Ingredients
Directions
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Melt 3 tablespoons of the unsalted butter in a large heavy saucepan or flame-proof casserole over low heat.
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Add the chopped sweet yellow onion and cook until softened, but not browned, about 3 minutes.
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Stir in the sliced fennel, quartered, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch slices.
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Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (preferably freshly grated); mix well.
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Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes.
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Meanwhile, bring 5 cups of light chicken stock (or 2 1/2 cups canned broth with 2 1/2 cups water) to a simmer in another saucepan.
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After 10 minutes, add 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice to the fennel mixture, stirring to coat each grain with butter.
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Add 2 cups of the hot stock to the rice.
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Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered, stirring constantly, until the rice is just tender, adding more stock, 1/2 cup at a time as the rice absorbs the liquid, about 20 minutes.
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If you run out of stock before the rice is done, use hot water.
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The finished dish should be moist but not soupy.
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When the rice is tender but still firm, remove from the heat and stir in 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, and 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
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Season with additional salt to taste and serve immediately in warm bowls.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 173.3kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 18.3g29%
- Saturated Fat 11.5g58%
- Cholesterol 48.4mg17%
- Sodium 1.6mg1%
- Total Carbohydrate 2.8g1%
- Dietary Fiber 0.5g2%
- Sugars 1.3g
- Protein 0.5g1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
risotto, fennel, arborio rice, italian, vegetarian, parmesan, onion, butter, chicken stock, nutmeg, simmer, creamy, main course, comfort food, rice dish, warm, savory, easy, dinner