rosemary and borlotti bean risotto

risotto con borlotti e rosmarino

for 6

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, crushed with 1 teaspoon Maldon salt

1.5 litres chicken stock (see here)

Maldon salt and freshly ground black pepper

80 g unsalted butter

100 g pancetta affumicata, finely sliced and cut into 1 cm pieces

inner white hearts of 2 heads celery, chopped

2 small red onions, peeled and chopped

3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped

400 g carnaroli rice

120 g Parmesan, freshly grated

cooked dried borlotti beans

200 g dried borlotti beans, soaked overnight in a generous amount of water

½ head garlic

a few parsley stalks

2–3 celery stalks

rosemary butter

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves

1 teaspoon Maldon salt

80 g unsalted butter, softened

To cook the borlotti beans, drain them then place in a large saucepan and cover with fresh water. Add the garlic, parsley and celery stalks and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 45–60 minutes or until the beans become soft and buttery in texture. Top up the water level if necessary and keep in the cooking liquid. Remove the celery, parsley and garlic and season with salt and pepper.

To make the rosemary butter, pound the rosemary leaves with the salt. When fine, add the butter and stir to combine.

Heat the stock to a simmer and check for seasoning.

Melt the butter in a thick-bottomed saucepan, add the pancetta and cook slowly just to allow the flavour to infuse with the butter. The pancetta must not brown. Add the celery and onion and continue to cook gently. When soft, add the garlic and smashed rosemary and stir together briefly. Add the rice, stir to coat each grain with the buttery vegetables and cook for 2–3 minutes. When the rice is opaque, start adding the hot stock ladle by ladle, adding the next only when the rice has absorbed the last. Stir continuously until the rice is al dente, about 15 minutes.

Remove the beans from their cooking liquid and purée half of them with a little stock, just enough to give a double cream consistency. Add the bean purée and the whole beans to the risotto, stir to combine, then add the rosemary butter and 2 tablespoons of the grated Parmesan. Serve with the remaining Parmesan.