Nirvana ~ Unplugged in New York Album
During a recent posting for Flageolet, Leek & Watercress Soup I mentioned a bean risotto that ML used to make for us. I promised that I would blog it very soon and Voila! here it is. However I was very confused because when I finally found the recipe it didn't contain flageolet beans at all but after asking ML about it, I am informed that flageolet were subbed for the broad beans back in the day. I wasn't the biggest fan of the things back then. Since realising I'd just had very badly, skins still intact, cooked ones and I now love them so confusion over. And I can happily say that if broad beans aren't to your taste..flageolet work fantastically as a replacement...anyway...
About a month ago I finally managed to source some short grain brown rice and hastily bought a bag. To be honest I have never enjoyed white rice in it's many varying forms and have long been a devoted brown rice lover. I would cook it many ways but always the risotto dishes were missing for me. When ML made the risotto it was always with regular arborio and it always niggled me so when I walked out of the health food chain with my newly purchased rice I knew exactly what the first recipe it would be used in. lol.
Now I had to adapt the recipe somewhat as I don't use wine in my cooking at the moment but I simply subbed that for more veggie stock. And I also had to use dried marjoram instead of fresh as it's quite hard to find where I live. Vegan parmesan and vegan margarine were also left out but the latter is an 'optional' ingredient anyway.
I enjoyed making this risotto because I had my Mum here for a visit and we stood together skinning the broad beans and catching up with each other. We also took turns stood at the stove patiently stirring the pot. And as it got closer to the end of the cooking time I had a really mushy moment as I remembered how we used to do this a lot before she remarried. Not risotto but baking and the such...yep a warm and glowy memory moment for sure. lol.
I know you don't get that pearlised white looking risotto that you do with arborio but I can live with that. The rice still held a little bite despite that softness, the beans beautifully complemented each other as Linda Majzlik planned and the herbs pulled it all together to make one extremely satisfying risotto. Borlotti beans are one of my favourite beans, I love to use them often and they work fantastically in this dish.
The recipe is the work of Linda Majzlik from her A Vegan Taste Of Italy cookbook. My copy is covered with notes and thoughts..well to be honest all of my cookbooks are..lol. Well used and well loved...
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| Mixed Bean Risotto with Short Grain Brown Rice |
Mixed Bean Risotto Serves 4
(Recipe from A Vegan Taste of Italy/Majzlik)
8oz/225g amborio rice (I used short grain brown rice)
8oz/225g green beans, topped and tailed and cut into small pieces
4oz/100g broad beans, skinned
4oz/100g cooked Borlotti beans
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 garlic, crushed
1 tbsp olive oil
1 bay leaf
black pepper
1 dsp finely chopped fresh marjoram (I used 1 tsp dried)
4 fl oz/125ml white wine (I omitted this)
24fl oz/725ml hot veggie stock
1/2oz/15g vegan margarine - optional
1 tbsp vegan parmesan (I omitted this)
Heat the oil in a large heavy based skillet and gently fry the onion and garlic until softened. Add the rice and fry for a further minute. Stir in the wine (or extra stock) and simmer gently until absorbed, then add the beans, bay leaf and marjoram and stir well, then add the stock a little at a time, making sure the liquid is absorbed before adding more. Continue simmering until it has all been taken up, stirring frequently during cooking to prevent sticking. Season with black pepper ans stir in the margarine (if using) and vegan parmesan. Transfer to a warmed serving dish...
Enjoy!
Thanks for stopping by and I hope your Wednesday has been a peaceful one...
~Red~
NB: This recipe is not mine and therefore take no credit for it whatsoever. It is the hard work and creation of Linda Majzlik and hers alone. I thank her for such great cookbooks...~R~
