Rice Asparagus And Fennel Recipes

PARMESAN ASPARAGUS RICE

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoon butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir onion until softened and turning translucent, about 1 minute. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the rice, asparagus, and stock. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low.
• Stir occasionally to prevent the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking until the rice is tender, about 10 minutes.
• Turn off the heat and gently stir in the Parmesan cheese and remaining butter. Serve immediately.

CREAMY ASPARAGUS SOUP WITH FENNEL

Steps:

• Separate the fennel fronds from the bulb and stems. Finely mince the fronds to yield ½ cup. Slice the fennel bulb and stems.
• Cut off 1 ½ inches of the asparagus tips and set aside. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the tough skin off the asparagus stalks, then cut into 1-inch pieces.
• Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sliced fennel stems, asparagus stalks, and onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the rice or barley and broth, cover, and simmer over low heat 30 to 40 minutes, or until the rice or barley is very tender.
• Transfer saucepan contents to a blender or food processor and puree to the desired consistency in several batches if necessary. Return the puree to the pan and stir in 1 cup of the milk, the reserved fennel fronds, the asparagus tips, salt, and pepper. IF the soup seems too thick, stir in additional milk. Heat until the asparagus tips are crisp-tender, about 1 ½ minutes.

MUSHROOM-ASPARAGUS RISOTTO

Steps:

• Put the broth in a 3-quart saucepan, add a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil over high heat; lower the heat to maintain a simmer.
• Heat the oil in a wide, heavy-duty 5- to 6-quart pot over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, lower the heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, raise the heat to high, and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 2 minutes. Lower the heat to medium, add the rice, and cook, stirring often, until the rice is lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.
• Add the wine and cook, stirring, until most of it is absorbed, about 30 seconds.
• Stir about 1-1/2 cups of the simmering broth into the rice. Lower the heat to maintain a simmer and cook, stirring frequently, until most of the broth is absorbed, about 1 minute. Add another 1-1/2 cups broth and cook, stirring frequently, until most of it is absorbed, about 3 minutes. Repeat the process once or twice more, tasting the rice every few minutes after the third broth addition until it's just shy of firm to the bite but without a crunchy center, about 12 minutes after the first addition of broth.
• Stir in the asparagus and 1 cup broth. Cover, lower the heat to the low, and cook until the asparagus is crisp-tender and the rice is tender but with some resistance, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and fold in the cheese. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and serve right away, sprinkled with black pepper.

SPRING GREEN RISOTTO

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and fennel and saute for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Add the rice and stir for a minute to coat with the vegetables, oil, and butter. Add the white wine and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until most of the wine has been absorbed. Add the chicken stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring almost constantly and waiting for the stock to be absorbed before adding more. This process should take 25 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, cut the asparagus diagonally in 1 1/2-inch lengths and discard the tough ends. Blanch in boiling salted water for 4 to 5 minutes, until al dente. Drain and cool immediately in ice water. (If using fresh peas, blanch them in boiling water for a few minutes until the starchiness is gone.)
• When the risotto has been cooking for 15 minutes, drain the asparagus and add it to the risotto with the peas, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Continue cooking and adding stock, stirring almost constantly, until the rice is tender but still firm.
• Whisk the lemon juice and mascarpone together in a small bowl. When the risotto is done, turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone mixture plus the Parmesan cheese and chives. Set aside, off the heat, for a few minutes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve hot with a sprinkling of chives and more Parmesan cheese.

SAUTEED ASPARAGUS FENNEL WITH GORGONZOLA

Steps:

• 1. Slice the asparagus spears diagonally into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Cut the fennel in half and remove the tough inner core. Separate the layers and then cut each layer into long thin strips.
• 2. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fennel and onion and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the asparagus and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are tender yet firm, about 8 minutes. Stir in the thyme and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish and crumble the gorgonzola over top. Serve warm or at room temperature.

BROWN RICE WITH FENNEL AND ASPARAGUS

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy two- to three-quart saucepan. Add fennel, onion and garlic and cook very slowly until vegetables are tender and translucent. Stir in rice and cook, stirring, another two to three minutes.
• Add the stock or water, bring to a boil and cook uncovered for three minutes. Lower the heat, season the stock to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer covered about 40 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed.
• Gently stir in the asparagus, cover the saucepan and set aside for 15 minutes before serving. Serve with a dusting of Parmesan cheese on top.

RICE, ASPARAGUS AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Combine rice and 1 1/2 cups water in heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, covered, until rice is cooked and water has been absorbed, a total of 17 minutes.
• Wash asparagus, and trim by breaking the stem at the point where the tender part meets the woody part. Discard woody part. Cut the asparagus just below the heads, and then cut the remainder of the stem on the diagonal into 1/2-inch pieces.
• Wash and trim fennel, and cut into small pieces.
• Heat oil in nonstick pan, and saute asparagus and fennel until it is tender, 5 to 7 minutes, depending on size of asparagus.
• Wash, dry and chop chives; mince garlic; add chives and garlic to asparagus. When ingredients are tender, stir into rice as it cooks.
• Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

PHEASANT WITH RISOTTO, GRILLED ASPARAGUS, AND ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

Steps:

• Prep the pheasant:
• Remove both breasts from the pheasant and season all over with sumac, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate the breasts while you make the risotto and vegetables. If desired, use the rest of the pheasant to make stock to cook the risotto in.
• Make the risotto:
• In a medium saucepan over moderate heat, warm the stock. Keep hot.
• In a second medium saucepan over moderate heat, warm the oil. Add the fennel and leek and sauté until tender. Add the wine and simmer the mixture until nearly dry. Add the rice and sauté, stirring, until lightly toasted. Add about 1 ladle's worth of hot stock and cook, stirring frequently, until absorbed. Continue adding the stock, 1 ladle's worth at a time, and cook, stirring frequently, until all the stock is absorbed and the risotto is creamy and tender but still al dente. Stir in the butter, season with salt and pepper, and keep warm.
• Grill the asparagus:
• In a medium bowl, toss together the asparagus, oil, salt, and pepper. Heat a grill pan over moderate heat then add the asparagus and grill until tender. Alternatively, toss the asparagus, oil, salt, and pepper together on a large baking sheet and roast in a 500°F oven until tender.
• Roast the cauliflower:
• Preheat the oven to 500°F.
• On a large baking sheet, toss together the cauliflower, oil, salt, and pepper. Roast until tender and caramelized.
• Finish the pheasant:
• In a large sauté pan over moderate heat, warm the oil. Add the pheasant and sear, flipping once, until both sides develop a rich brown color. Add the butter and sage and once the butter melts, use it to baste the breasts. Continue cooking until an instant read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the pheasant (do not touch the bone) registers 165°F. Let the pheasant rest briefly then cut each breast in half.
• To serve:
• Divide the risotto, asparagus, and cauliflower among 4 plates. Top each with 1/2 pheasant breast and garnish with the reserved fennel fronds, if desired.

ORANGE AND FENNEL SALAD

Steps:

• Combine salad, oranges, fennel and olives in large bowl. Toss with Fresh Orange Dressing, to coat, as desired. Refrigerate any remaining vinaigrette.

SAUTEED COD WITH ASPARAGUS SAUCE AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Cut asparagus tips into 2-inch-long pieces; set aside. Peel asparagus stalks. Cut stalks into 1-inch pieces. Cook stalks in large saucepan of boiling slightly salted water until very tender, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer stalks to blender. Add 3/4 cup cooking liquid to blender. Blend until very smooth, adding more cooking liquid to thin sauce. Blend 2 tablespoons butter into sauce. Season with salt and pepper. (Sauce can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Transfer sauce to medium saucepan. Bring sauce to simmer. Remove from heat. Cover to keep warm. Cook asparagus tips in boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain.
• Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in each of 2 heavy large skillets over medium-high heat. Add 3 fish fillets to each skillet and cook until golden and opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side.
• Spoon warm sauce onto plates. Top with fish. Garnish with asparagus tips. Sprinkle with fennel seeds and serve.