Soaking the rice for 24 hours at room temperature before you begin allows the rice to ferment, making this dish especially gut-friendly.

INGREDIENTS 

Olive oil
1 brown onion, diced
1 bunch kale, leaves separated, stems chopped
1 fennel bulb, chopped, fronds reserved
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, stems chopped, leaves reserved
1.5L chicken stock
2 cups long-grain brown rice, soaked overnight
300g mushrooms, quartered
Butter, to serve
Mascarpone, to serve (optional)
½ lemon, juiced
Watercress, to serve (optional)

METHOD

Place a large frying pan over low heat. Add a splash of olive oil and the onion. Cook the onion gently. Add kale stems to the pan and increase heat to medium. Add a pinch of salt and stir.

Add the chopped fennel and garlic to the pan. Slice the reserved fennel fronds and add to the pan along with the parsley stems. Stir well. Roughly chop the kale leaves and add to the pan with a splash of stock. Press the kale down to keep the steam in. Add the mushroom and keep stirring. Season with a little salt. Cook for 5-8 mins or until everything has wilted down.

Drain the rice. Add the rice to the pan. Stir and cook for a few minutes. Add enough stock to cover. Increase heat to high. Bring to the boil. Cook for 10 mins, adding more stock when needed (keep the mixture quite wet at all times).

Once the rice is cooked through, turn off the heat and leave to sit for a further 5 mins to steam. Chop a loose handful of parsley leaves and stir through. Add 2 tbs of butter and a big spoonful of mascarpone, if using. Gently fold through. Add the lemon juice and a generous sprinkle of black pepper. Season with salt, if needed.

Serve and garnish with some watercress, if using, and a drizzle of olive oil.

TIP: Leftovers are delicious eaten hot or cold.