Fennel Confit With Kalijira Rice And Olives Recipes

FENNEL CONFIT WITH KALIJIRA RICE AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Peel 2 shallots and place in a small baking dish. Add 1/2 cup olive oil and set aside. In a small deep baking dish, combine fennel, 2 unpeeled garlic cloves, bay leaves, thyme and 2 cups oil. Cover both dishes. Bake shallots until tender, about 1 hour. Bake fennel until very tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
• When shallots are baked, drain on paper towels and transfer to baking sheet. Sprinkle with red-wine vinegar and sugar, and return to oven until dry, 2 to 3 minutes. When fennel has baked, remove from heat and keep warm.
• Peel and mince remaining shallot and remaining clove garlic. Place a saucepan over medium-low heat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil, and add minced shallot and garlic. Sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Rinse and drain rice and add to pan. Stir until thoroughly coated with oil. Add 1 1/4 cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer until water is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand covered for a few minutes. Chop roasted shallots. Fluff rice with a fork, and fold in roasted shallots, butter and olives. Keep warm.
• While rice cooks, prepare vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together whole-grain mustard, Dijon mustard, white-wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar and broth. Slowly whisk in remaining 1/4 cup oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• To serve, cut each fennel bulb into quarters. Divide rice among four plates, and place two pieces of fennel on each plate. Drizzle vinaigrette over and serve.

MARINATED OLIVES AND FENNEL

Steps:

• Roughly chop olives and remove any pits.
• Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Serve at room temperature.
• Notes: This can be made ahead and refrigerated, but bring to room temperature before serving.

RICE WITH FENNEL AND OLIVES

Steps:

• Combine rice, water and fennel seed, and bring to boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer, cooking a total of 17 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.
• Chop whole onion.
• Heat a medium nonstick skillet until it is very hot, reduce the heat to medium high, add oil and saute onion until it softens and browns.
• Meanwhile, trim stalks from fennel, remove tough outer layer from bulb and cut fennel into julienne strips. Add to onion as it browns, and continue cooking.
• Pit the olives; then, add to the onion and fennel and continue cooking until the rice is done.
• Stir the rice into the onion and fennel, season with salt and pepper and serve.