I wasn’t sure how my kids would take to the fennel, my youngest has had it before roasted and although she did eat some, she didnt seem overally impressed. However she really enjoyed this risotto. I served her portion with a little bit of pecan and date bread (see recipe here) and she ate the lot.

Fennel and Sweet Cipollini Onion Risotto

Serves 4 (2 adults and 2 kids)

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (175ml) of arborio rice
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1 fennel bulb, stalk removed and finely chopped
• 4 sweet cipollini onions (or shallots), finely chopped
• 900ml of no salt chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
• 2 teaspoons of Italian Herbs
• 60g of Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• black pepper
• fresh Italian Parsley

Directions

Place your stock in a small saucepan over a low heat and add your Italian herbs.

Add your olive oil to a large frying pan over a medium high heat.. Add your onions, garlic and fennel and cook until softened, then stir in the balsamic vinegar and continue to cook until onions and fennel becomes lightly caramelised. Add the arborio rice and fry for a couple of mins stirring constantly until the rice becomes slightly transparent.

Start gradually adding your stock a few ladles at a time, stirring constantly until liquid is absorbed before repeating the process of adding more stock until all your stock is absorbed and rice is creamy, but still has a slight bite.

For the last few ladles of stock, stir in your parmesan cheese.

Season with a little black pepper, divide among two bowls and top with some finely chopped Italian parsley.