Risotto and Cranberry Beans with Pancetta

Yesterday I promised you my first recipe with my oh-so-beautiful Rancho Gordo beans.  With my shipment of beans, they included Heirloom Beans: Great Recipes for Dips and Spreads, Soups and Stews, Salads and Salsas, and Much More from Rancho Gordo.  After pouring through the recipes I settled on Risotto and Cranberry Beans with Pancetta.

The first thing I discovered when making this recipe was that my sweet little grocery store, Greenlife Grocery, which later was bought and became a Whole Foods had gotten rid of their deli meat counter.  I loved that counter.  Pancetta, prosciutto, chorizo, it was all there.  But now, no more.  So instead I had to go to the packaged meats section, where there was no pancetta.  Now, I know that you can sub bacon or ham for prosciutto or pancetta, but I can never remember which is which.  So, I got Coppa.  I have no idea what it was, other than it ended in an “a'” and pancetta ended in an “a” – yes that is how I make substitutions.  Whatever.  It was good.  This whole recipe was wonderful!

Risotto and Cranberry Beans with Pancetta

• 5 cups chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 pound pancetta (or whatever “a” meat you can find), diced
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 celery stalk, finely chopped
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 cups drained cooked cranberry beans, with reserved broth
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the broth to a simmer.

In a large, heavy skillet over medium heat, melt the butter with the olive oil.  Add the pancetta and the onion and saute for about 10 minutes, or until golden.  Add the celery and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.  Add the rice and stir to coat.  Increase the heat to medium-high, add the wine, and stir until most of the wine has been absorbed.  Add the broth, 1/2 cup at time, stirring.  As each addition is absorbed, add another.

Total cooking time is about 40 minutes.  The rice should be creamy with a bit of bite in the middle, but not chalky.  If you need extra broth, dilute it with a bit of water.

When the rice is just short of being done, and there are only about 1 or two additions of broth left, add the beans and 1/2 cup of their broth, and stir until warmed through.  When the rice is done, turn off the heat and stir in the parsley and parmesan cheese, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 6

 

 

This will be my entry for Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum!