Borlotti Bean, Pancetta and Rosemary Risotto

• servings: Serves 6

Ingredients

approx. 1 litre/2 pints stock (chicken, jin or vegetable as appropriate - see pages 223-5)

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 finely chopped shallots or 2 medium onions

½ a head of celery, finely chopped (discard any tough outer sticks)

Maldon sea salt and black pepper 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

400g/14oz risotto rice

100ml/3¾fl oz dry white vermouth (dry Martini or Noilly Prat) or dry white wine

70g/2½oz butter

85-100g/3-3½oz freshly grated Parmesan cheese

55g/2oz pancetta or smoked, streaky bacon, sliced thinly crosswise

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh rosemary

255g/9oz cooked borlotti beans

Directions

Stage 1. Heat the stock. Then in a separate pan heat the olive oil, add the shallot or onion, celery and a pinch of salt, and sweat the vegetables for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and after another 2 minutes, when the vegetables have softened, add the rice. Turn up the heat now. At this crucial point vou can't leave the pan, and anyway, this is the best bit.

While slowly stirring continuously you are beginning to fry the rice.

You don`t want any colour at any point (so remember you`re in control and if the temperature seems too high, turn it down a bit). You must keep the rice mov-ing. After 2 or 3 minutes it will begin to look translucent as it absorbs all the flavours of your base (it may crackle at this point, that's fine). Add the vermouth or wine, keeping on stirring as it hits the pan - it will smell fantastic!

It will sizzle around the rice, evaporating any harsh alcohol flavours and leaving the rice with a tasty essence.

I must admit I'm a sucker for dry vermouth. When it cooks into the rice it seems to give it a really full but subtle flavour and leaves a wicked sweetness that works perfectly with the rice. White wine is lovely, probably more delicate and fresh. Try both - see what you think.

Stage 2. Once the vermouth or wine seems to have cooked into the rice, add your first ladle of hot stock and a pinch of salt (add small amounts of salt to taste while you are adding the stock). Turn down the heat to a highish simmer (the reason we don't want to boil the hell out of it is because, if we do, the outside of the rice will be cooked and fluffy and the inside will be raw).

Keep adding ladlefuls of stock, stirring and allowing each ladleful to be absorbed before adding the next. This will take about 15 minutes. Taste the rice - is it cooked? Carry on adding stock until the rice is soft but with a slight bite. Check seasoning.

Stage 3. Remove from the heat and add the butter and the Parmesan, saving a little of the latter to go on top if you like. Stir gently. Eat it as soon as possible while it retains its moist texture.

Serve it on its own or with a crisp green salad and a hunk of crusty bread.

Beautiful.

Fry the sliced streaked bacon until golden and slightly crisp and add it at Stage 1 with the rosemary. At Stage 3 add the warm, cooked borlotti beans.