From The New York Times.

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 medium fennel bulbs, trimed, cored and diced small
  • salt to taste
  • 1 cup long grain rice, or coarse bulgur
  • 2 1/2 cups water
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
  • freshly ground pepper

Method

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a pan or wide lidded saucepan. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in fennel, add a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until fennel has wilted and softened (about 8 minutes). Stir in rice or bulgur to coat with olive oil.

Add water, salt, pepper, parsley and dill and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until rice or bulgur is soft and liquid absorbed (i.e. normal absorption cooking time for the rice).

Remove from heat, uncover and place a towl across the top of the pan. Return lid and let sit for 10 minutes.

Serve hot, with the remaining olive oil drizzled over the top.