Meatless Monday: Fennel Steaks, Artichoke and Savoury Rice [Vegan & Gluten Free]

Serves: 4-5
Prep & Cooking Time: 60 mins (*Dependant upon skill and the number of kitchen helpers!)
Type: Main Meal
Tools: Chopping board, sharp knife, baking tray, parchment paper, measuring jug, spoon, pastry brush, kitchen foil, manual juicer, grater, frying pan, frying spatula

Notes: This recipe contains: Vitamin A, B-Vitamins, Vitamins C & K, protein, fibre, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphate, potassium, zinc and (per serving) is low in added sugar, salt and saturated fats.

Hi everyone! We hope you’ve had a wonderful weekend?! Let’s start the week off with a great ‘Meatless Monday’ option: roasted fennel steaks and artichoke with a delicious/new Eat2health version of savoury rice.

This version of savoury rice has a wonderful golden and earthy hue from some tasty turmeric, infused with a blend of delicious herbs, vegetables and sun-dried tomato puree. Our delicious and gently marinated, ‘aniseedy’ fennel bulbs and meaty artichokes are a great accompaniment and/or meat alternative to this rice dish. The only recommendation we’d suggest is covering your artichoke for part of the cooking duration; we didn’t and ours turned out a bit crispy!

We hope you have fun following along and enjoy this dish as much as we did!

Happy cooking everyone! 😀

Quick Foodie Tips:

To reduce the ‘aniseedy’ taste of the fennel, slice the bulb into thinner slices.
If you are short on time, you could you could gently fry the fennel steaks in a non-stick grill pan and/or boil or steam the artichoke instead whilst your rice is cooking.

Ingredients

Directions

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F. Line two baking trays with a sheet of parchment paper.

Prepare The Fennel

Wash and then trim the bottoms off each bulb.
Carefully slice the bulbs into halves.
Once cut, separate the layers and thoroughly wash them. Tip: For a more caramelised and less ‘aniseedy’ taste, slice the fennel into thinner slices.
Place the prepared pieces of fennel onto one of the prepared baking trays.

Prepare The Marinade

Mix 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, 20g date syrup, 6g dried parsley and three minced garlic cloves in a large measuring jug. Whisk together. Season it to taste with some salt and a few grinds of black pepper.

Pour and brush the marinade over the fennel.

Prepare The Artichoke

Wash the artichoke(s); slice off the bottom end(s).
2. Peel the stalk(s).
3. Trim the top(s) off of the artichoke(s), about 1/2 inch (if preferred). Remove the tough outer layer(s) and discard (*we forgot to do this! oops).
4. Slice the artichoke(s) into two halves.
5. Place the artichoke halves cut-side down onto the chopping board (the opposite to our example!)
6. Slice each half into halves again.

Place the prepared artichoke(s) onto the other baking tray. Marinade it with a little balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Season it with some salt and ground black pepper to taste. Cover the tray loosely with a piece of kitchen foil. NB: Remove the foil during the last 10 mins of cooking.

Place the fennel onto the middle oven shelf and the artichoke onto the shelf below. Roast for 30-40 mins or until tender and lightly browned. Remove.

Prepare The Rice

Peel and dice the garlic and red onion. Wash, remove the stem and core and then finely chop the bell pepper. Wash, trim the ends and slice the spring onion. Wash the lemon and then grate 1 tbsp of zest and juice half of the fruit. Wash the tomatoes and remove any stems.

Heat a large, non-stick frying pan over a medium low heat. Add 1 tbsp of rapeseed oil or a few sprays of low-fat cooking oil. Add the garlic and onion. Gently fry for 1-2 mins or until softened.
2. Add the bell pepper. Gently fry for 2 mins or until softened.
3. Add the spring onion. Gently fry for 1 minute.
4. Add 1.5g ground turmeric, 2g smoked paprika, 2g dried parsley, 1g dried tarragon and 1g dried thyme. Stir to coat.
5. Add 250g rice and the 1 tbsp lemon zest. Stir to combine.
6. Pour in 600ml hot vegetable stock and the lemon juice. Add 50g sun-dried tomato purée. Stir together,
7. Add the cherry tomatoes.
8. Cover with a lid or a sheet of aluminium foil. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer. Cook for 25-35 mins or until the rice has absorbed all of the liquid.

Our cooked rice…

…and roasted veggies!

Ladle the rice into a large serving bowl. Place the fennel steaks and artichoke on top. Garnish with some black olives and fresh parsley (if desired).

Enjoy!

Refrigerate any leftovers in a resealable container (ideally within an hour after cooking); reheat and consume within 1-2 days. Alternatively freeze in one or more resealable containers; defrost, reheat and consume within 1-2 months.

NB: When reheating, always check to make sure the rice is steaming hot all the way through and do not reheat the rice more than once.