Ingredients
salt
500g broad beans (in pod)
small wedge parmesan
1 small onion
10 stalks parsley
handful fennel tops
1 large leek
4 cups basic chicken stock
80g butter
1 cup arborio rice
Method
Fill saucepan with water. Add pinch salt, bring to boil. Shell broad beans. Drop into boiling water for 30 seconds. Quickly drain beans and soak in cold water. Strain and then peel beans of tough outer skin.
Put aside.
Grate parmesan into small bowl – about 3 tablespoons. Set aside. Peel and finely chop onion and set aside. Rinse then chop parsley and fennel tops.
Cut leek into fine rings, soak in large bowl of water to release dirt. Drain.
Place stock in saucepan over medium heat, then turn to low, ready to ladle into rice.
Add half the butter to frying pan, tip in onion and leek. Stir with wooden spoon until well softened.
Tip in rice and stir so rice is covered with butter. Add ladleful of hot stock, stirring all the time. Continue to add ladleful’s of stock as the previous disappears, saving one for later.
After about 15 minutes, add broad beans and last of stock, stirring. Taste for salt and pepper.
After extra 5 minutes, stir in rest of butter and fennel tops, herbs and parmesan. Cover pan for 3-4 minutes before serving.
Author
Lisa Walton
Hurstbridge