Sunday, March 25, 2012

Warm carrot, fennel and wild rice side.

This is a warm side, perfect for autumn or winter.
Serves 4 (as a side dish)

Ingredients:
1/2 c wild rice
1/2 head garlic
1 bunch of fabulous carrots - the lushiest ones you can find! Organic if you can, peeled and sliced on the diagonal .
1 bulb fennel or 2 if you're a fennel fanatic, quartered lengthwise.
salt and pepper
a light squeeze of honey
juice of 1 -2 lemons
optional splash of white wine
1 -2 C broth
1/2 bunch dill
1/3 bunch italian parsley
salt and pepper

Method:
Pre heat oven to 400 degrees F

For rice, rinse a few times and then place in a small pot, covered with about 1 C water (you can add a little more if necessary) and place on high heat, covered with a lid, until it comes to the boil.
At this point, turn heat to low and wait until all the water is dissolved. The rice is ready when it splits into flower like blooms! If it's still a bit too al dente add a little more water. Once cooked, put to the side.

Begin with the half head of garlic- this is sliced through horizontally (at the fattest part of the clove) with the skin left on. Wrap it up tightly in aluminum foil with a sprinkle of salt and pepper and place it in the oven for a head start.

In a non stick baking tray add the carrots and fennel. Season with salt and pepper and a quick drizzle of honey and add the juice of a big fat lemon.
You may add a splash of vino at this point.
Add 1 C broth. (While they are baking you may wish to add more broth, depending how quick it's evaporating - usually i will go through 2 cups liquid).
Bake for ~ 40 minutes, until carrots are the desired amount of done.

I usually put the dish altogether in the oven tray.
Remove the garlic from the oven and careful to not burn yourself, unwrap the foil and squeeze the garlic bulbs out from the garlic skin - they should just ooze out. If needs be, chop them/mash them up with a fork and add to the carrots and fennel in the oven tray.
Add the cook wild rice and stir altogether.
Add the finely diced dill and italian parsley and then season to taste with more salt and pepper and lemon juice if needs be.

Done!

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