Fennel and Orange Risotto

There are recipes that teach you how to cook, and then there are recipes that stay with you for life.

For me, risotto will always remind me of my early years living in the UK. I spent countless evenings watching Jamie Oliver's first television series, determined to recreate every dish in my tiny kitchen. There were plenty of smoky disasters, more than a few pots that refused to cooperate, and enough smoke alarms to keep the neighbours entertained. One particularly kind neighbour Pam, eventually arrived at my door with Prue Leith's Learn to Cook cookbook tucked under her arm, a thoughtful gift that helped turn those early experiments into real confidence in the kitchen.

Over the years this risotto has slowly become my own, with countless variations. This one is a recent version, with sweet baby fennel that softens into the soffritto, fresh peas are added simply because, in our house, it isn't risotto without them, and a little orange and lemon at the end lifts the whole dish into something bright and comforting.

It's the ideal winter meal, asking for an unhurried evening with friends gathered around the kitchen island, it’s perfect as a dish on its own with some salad or as a great side dish with some fish or pork fillet.

Serves 4–6

Ingredients

• 1 litre good-quality chicken or vegetable stock
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 70g butter, and an extra tablespoon for frying
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely pressed
• 2 sticks celery, finely chopped (as small as the rice)
• 4–5 baby fennel bulbs, halved and finely sliced
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon dried fennel
• 400g Arborio rice
• 1 small glass dry white wine
• 1 small glass of white vermouth
• ½ cup fresh peas
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• ¼ cup fresh orange juice (zest the orange before juicing it)
• 115g Parmesan, finely grated, plus extra for serving

Method

1. Warm the stock in a separate saucepan and keep it at a gentle simmer while you prepare the risotto.
2. In a wide, heavy-based pan, heat the olive oil with the tablespoon of butter. Add the onion, celery, garlic and finely chopped baby fennel. Cook gently over a low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring often, until the vegetables are soft, fragrant and translucent. They should never colour, this slow cooking creates the flavourful base that gives a good risotto its depth.
3. Stir in the rice, season with a generous pinch of salt and the dried fennel.  Cook on a higher heat for 1 to 2 minutes, ensuring every grain is coated in the buttery vegetables. The edges of the rice will begin to look slightly translucent.
4. Keep it at the high heat and pour in the vermouth and white wine and stir until it has almost completely evaporated.
5. Begin adding the warm stock, one ladle at a time. Turn the heat down and stir continuously and allow each addition to be mostly absorbed before adding the next. Continue in this way until the rice is creamy while still holding a gentle bite in the centre. This usually takes around 18 to 20 minutes.
6. As you add the final ladle of stock, stir through the fresh peas and allow them to cook for the last few minutes. They should remain sweet and vibrant.
7. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the remaining butter, the grated Parmesan, the orange zest, lemon zest and fresh orange juice. Stir everything together until the risotto becomes glossy and beautifully creamy.
8. Cover the pan and allow it to rest for two minutes before giving it one final stir. If needed, loosen the consistency with a splash of warm stock, the perfect risotto should gently spread across the plate rather than sit in a firm mound.
9. Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving with extra Parmesan and plenty of freshly ground black pepper.

Kuier tip

Risotto rewards patience more than perfection. Keep your stock warm, stir often, and don't rush the process. The gentle rhythm of adding stock one ladle at a time is what creates its beautifully creamy texture.

This version is lovingly adapted from the classic white risotto that first taught me the technique, with a few family additions that have become part of our own table over the years.