Thursday 6 January 2011

Borlotti Bean, Prosciutto and Rosemary Risotto

This is a Jamie Oliver recipe from his very first book (The Naked Chef), and one I've cooked fairly regularly.  I have several of Jamie's books but don't really use them much - I can't think why, other than that his recipes seem to use vast quantities of oil, and can be a bit slap-dash.  Perhaps I should give him another chance?  Anyway, this is a fairly classic risotto recipe, and although it isn't terribly pretty, the texture and deep savoury notes are wonderful.  I added some cubes of roasted butternut squash before serving, to boost our veggie intake and to find yet another use for the endless stores of the stuff we have in the house!  It consists of the usual sauteed onion in a little oil and butter, a couple of slices of Parma Ham, chopped, and a good sprig of fresh rosemary needles, finely chopped.  After turning the rice in the buttery juices, a good glug of Noilly Prat vermouth is added (you could use white wine also) and then veg or chicken stock is added bit by bit in the usual way.  At the last addition of stock, stir in a tin of drained and rinsed borlotti beans - I use Cirio brand.  'Mount' the rice at the end with a little extra butter and some grated parmesan, and then add some cooked butternut, if liked - entirely optional - or maybe some frozen peas at the same time as the beans.  If you have leftovers, cool, refrigerate, and then squidge into little patties, dip in flour, and saute for a few minutes until crisp and heated through.  Almost as delish as the orignal dish.

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