Mushroom, thyme and fennel risotto

If you’ve not cooked with fennel before, now’s the time to try it.

Ingredients

• 250 ml water
• 250 ml soya milk (sweetened and fortified)
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 white onion, finely chopped
• 1 bulb fennel, sliced
• 2 tsp garlic puree
• 200 g arborio risotto rice
• 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
• 250 g fresh assorted mushrooms, sliced
• 100 g frozen peas
• 100 g frozen broad beans
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• Black pepper, to taste

Method

1. In a saucepan, add the water and soya milk, bring to a light simmer and turn off.
2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan on a medium heat and add the onion and fennel when hot. Cook the onion and fennel until it starts to colour slightly and soften, then add the garlic. Cook for 1 minute, add the risotto rice and mix thoroughly. Add the fresh thyme and the mushrooms and mix thoroughly.
3. Start adding the soya milk mix a small amount at a time and stirring it into the rice until it has all been absorbed, then repeat until all of the liquid has been used. Check the rice is cooked to your liking: it should still have a small amount of bite at this stage. If you prefer it to be softer, add some more boiling water until the softness you require is achieved.
4. To finish, add the peas, broad beans and parsley and stir through to warm. Adjust the seasoning and serve.