Barley Risotto with Fennel
For cooking this risotto, we use slow cooker, so even no stir, the risotto is cooked wonderfully, and you can choose barly or brown rice, add more fibre.
Ingredients
| 2 | teaspoons |
fennel seeds
|
|
| 1 | each |
fennel bulb
large, or 2 small ones, cored and finely diced, plus 2 tablespoons chopped fronds |
* |
| 1 | cup |
pearl barley
or brown rice |
|
| 1 | each |
carrots
small, finely chopped |
|
| 1 | each |
shallots
large, finely chopped |
* |
| 3 | cloves |
garlic
minced |
|
| 4 | cups |
chicken broth, low salt
or vegetable broth |
|
| 1 ½ | cups |
water
divided |
|
| ⅓ | cup |
white wine
dry |
* |
| 2 | cups |
green beans
frozen, French-cut |
|
| ½ | cup |
Parmesan cheese
|
|
| ⅓ | cup |
black olives
pitted oil-cured, coarsely chopped |
* |
| 1 | tablespoon |
lemon zest
freshly grated |
|
| 1 | x |
black pepper
freshly ground to taste |
* |
Directions
Coat a 4-quart or larger slow cooker with cooking spray.
Crush fennel seeds with the bottom of a saucepan.
Combine the fennel seeds, diced fennel, barley (or brown rice), carrot, shallot and garlic in the slow cooker.
Add chicken broth, 1 cup water and dry white wine, and stir to combine.
Cover and cook until the barley (or rice) is tender, but pleasantly chewy, and the risotto is thick and creamy, 2½ to 2½ hours on high or low.
Shortly before serving, cook green beans according to package instructions and drain.
Turn off the slow cooker.
Stir the green beans, Parmesan, olives, lemon zest and pepper into the risotto.
If it seems dry, heat the remaining ½ cup water and stir it into the risotto.
Serve sprinkled with the chopped fennel fronds.
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 314g (11.1 oz)
