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    Home / Recipes / Course / Dinner

    34 Dec 5, 2015 Dinner  |   Jump to Recipe

    White Bean Risotto with Garlicky Greens

    Today, I’m wrapping up my DaVinci Storyteller Experience, and sharing a suuuuuper tasty risotto recipe. If you missed Part 1, check out this article.

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    White Bean Risotto with Garlicky Greens

    This recipe is inspired by the bistecca alla fiorentina lunch we had on day 1 of our trip to Vinci, Italy. Two of the sides served that day were creamy borlotti beans and a big pile of steamed greens dressed in garlic olive oil. I decided to marry the two, using a creamy, Pinot Grigio-infused risotto as the base. Each bite is wonderfully rich with pops of earthy white bean, tangy Parmesan cheese, and slightly-bitter melting greens. A comforting dinner on a cool winter evening. Continue reading for the recipe plus the second half of my DaVinci Storyteller Experience.

    Montalcino

    Day 3 was dedicated to Montalcino, Italy, the home of DaVinci Brunello.

    Montalcino

    Montalcino

    Sangiovese Grosso Grapes

    Brunello di Montalcino is a full-bodied, aged wine, rich with notes of dark jam, blackberry, cherry and black currant. It’s smooth and well-balanced with mild tannins and minerality. Brunello di Montalcino can only be made from Sangiovese Grosso grapes grown in the Montalcino region, according to DOCG regulations. It was also one of my favorite wines we tasted. Given the higher price tag, Brunello di Montalcino is more of a special occasion wine.

    Montalcino Winery

    Montalcino Winery

    1K3A6928

    One of my favorite activities that we did all week was a Brunello barrel/vertical tasting. First, we tried a number of 2014 Brunellos from different barrels. Some of the barrels were old. Some new. Some big. Some small. The age and size of the barrel affects the tannin level of the wine along with the flavors of oak, black pepper, tobacco and spice. Once the wine has finished aging in the barrels, the winery team will then mix the different wines from the different barrels to form the final blend. Next, we did a vertical tasting where we sampled Brunellos from different years (2005 – 2010). As the wine ages in the bottle, it becomes more smooth and round. Grapes also vary each year, and some years are rated better than others. For Brunello, 2006 and 2010 are the most sought-after vintages. 2006 is robust while 2010 is smooth and balanced. I really loved this experience, because I learned how various factors (other than the grapes themselves) influence the flavor of the wine.

    Dinner that evening was at, a Michelin-starred restaurant in the town of Cerbaia. I really wish I had some good photos of this meal, because it was truly spectacular. We started the meal with salmon caramels, a savory salmon appetizer individually wrapped in plastic as if it was candy. Other stand out plates included truffle-covered ravioli, the best poached egg EVER and a pumpkin crème brulee.

    1K3A6950

    DaVinci Storytellers Montalcino

    DaVinci Storytellers Montalcino

    Montalcino

    Gelato!! Hazelnut and stracciatella together with a waffle cookie and rainbow sprankles. A sweet treat in the heart of Montalcino, the region in Tuscany where Brunello is made.

    A photo posted by Brandon / Kitchen Konfidence (@brandiego) on Sep 23, 2015 at 2:04pm PDT

     

    We finished out our week strong with Day 4 focused on cheese and Day 5 focused on salumi.

    Cheese Farm

    After a long trip through winding country roads, we arrived at a small farm nestled amongst towering olive trees and sprawling cacti. This rustic plot of land is home to two brothers who gave up city life to make cheese for a living. They’ve got 11 cows, and each has a name. The cows are free to roam around, and graze on anything they come across, including grass, olives and acorns.

    Cheese Farm

    Cheese Farm

    Cheese Farm

    Olive Branch

    Cheese Farm

    Francesco Bagnoli, one of the brothers, then demonstrated how they make their fresh cheese using cow’s milk and vegetable rennet.

    Cheesemaking

    Cheesemaking

    Cheesemaking

    Cheesemaking

    Cheesemaking

    Cheesemaking

    Cheesemaking

    Cheesemaking

    We finished our trip with a cheese and DaVinci Wine tasting. I know I keep saying favorite this and favorite that, but I must say that this was definitely one of my favorite wine and food pairings. All of the cheeses, ranging from soft fresh to hard aged, paired perfectly with the Pinot Grigio, Chianti, Chianti Riserva and Brunello di Montalcino. During the tasting we learned a valuable rule of thumb: pair young wines with young cheeses and aged wines with aged cheeses. Try this at home!

    Our dinner (once again, no photos) was focused on porcini mushrooms. Porcinis are earthy and meaty, and can be eaten raw or cooked. My favorite dish of the evening was a sizeable stack of steak tartar topped with raw porcini mushrooms and fruit olive oil.

    DaVinci Wine and Cheese Tasting

    DaVinci Wine and Cheese Tasting

    DaVinci Wine and Cheese Tasting

    DaVinci Wine and Cheese Tasting

    DaVinci Wine and Cheese Tasting

    Cheese Farm

    Cheese Farm

    Cheese Farm

    The final day started with a trip to a prosciutto/salumi facility. This was pretty much heaven for me given how much I love pork 😛

    Salumi

    Salumi

    Salumi

    Salumi

    Afterwards, we enjoyed a meat-centric lunch at a small butcher shop with a spectacular view of the rolling Tuscan hills. Pancetta wrapped Tuscan bread, cured sausage, lardo-slathered crostini topped with apple, prosciutto with succulent figs, and salami with semi-ripe peach. Each bite was SO tasty, and the DaVinci Chianti really helped to refresh the palate throughout the meal.

    Butcher Lunch

    Butcher Lunch

    Butcher Lunch

    Butcher Lunch

    Butcher Lunch

    Butcher Lunch

    Butcher Lunch

    Butcher Lunch
    Our final activity for the week was a wine blending session at the Enoteca Dalle Vigne with DaVinci winemaker, Roberto Baldi. We were given six different types of wine, four made from Sangiovese grapes, one from Merlot and one an international blend. We then had to taste and blend all six to make a wine similar to DaVinci Chianti. The final wines were judged by an all-star panel of DaVinci Wine experts including Filippo Volpi and Giacomo Alari. I placed third (out of 6) in the competition and Molly won AGAIN. I thought this experience was really fun, because it put all of our skills that we learned throughout the week to the test. I was happy with third place J

    6 glasses of wine all for me! Working on my own #DaVinciWine Chianti blend. A difficult challenge when you’re buzzed!! #getonmylevel #??????

    A photo posted by Brandon / Kitchen Konfidence (@brandiego) on Sep 25, 2015 at 12:44pm PDT

    That evening, we closed out our trip with a fantastic group meal at the Casale di Valle. I want to give a big thanks to the DaVinci Wine team for such a spectacular week in Tuscany. Incredible wine. Incredible food. Incredible people.

    Last Night

    Last Night

    Group Photo

    Now, on to the risotto recipe!

    Risotto Ingredients

    Kale and Chard

    Garlicky Greens

    White Bean Risotto with Garlicky Greens

    White Bean Risotto with Garlicky Greens

    by Brandon Matzek
    4.17 from 12 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Servings 4 servings

    Ingredients
      

    • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
    • 3 cloves garlic
    • 5 cups low-sodium chicken stock
    • 2 tablespoons garlic oil (see step 1)
    • 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
    • 1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
    • Kosher salt
    • 1/2 cup DaVinci Pinot Grigio
    • 1 cup risotto rice (I used carnaroli rice)
    • 1 cup cooked white beans (I used canned cannellini beans)
    • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling
    • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
    • Freshly ground black pepper
    • 2 bunches (1 3/4 pounds) bitter greens (I used kale and swiss chard), stems removed and chopped

    Instructions
     

    • Warm 1/2 cup olive oil and garlic in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook until the garlic starts to brown (8 – 10 minutes). Strain oil into a clean container, and discard solids.
    • Bring chicken stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Once simmering, reduce heat to low, and keep warm.
    • In a large, heavy-bottom pot, warm 2 tablespoons of the garlic oil made in step 1 over medium heat. Add the onion and thyme along with a pinch of salt, and cook until the onion is tender but not browned (6 minutes). Stir in the rice and cook for 2 minutes, then add the Pinot Grigio and cook for 1 more minute. Add 1 cup of warm chicken stock and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until all of the liquid has been absorbed. Continue adding warm chicken stock 1/2 cup at a time, waiting until the stock is absorbed before adding again, and stirring frequently to make sure the bottom doesn’t burn. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 - 35 minutes total. You may not use all of the chicken stock. Stir in the beans and cook until heated through (1 - 2 minutes). Take the risotto off the heat, and stir in Parmesan cheese and butter. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.
    • During the last 5 minutes of cooking, fill a large pot with an inch or two of water. Place a vegetable steamer on the bottom of the pot, then bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the chopped greens to the steamer, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Transfer greens to a medium bowl, and drizzle with garlic oil (from step 1), and season to taste with salt and black pepper.

    To serve, spoon risotto into a bowl, and top with garlicky greens. Additional Parmesan cheese and black pepper are always welcome.

      Tried this recipe?Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can check it out!

      As a 2015 DaVinci Storyteller, this post was written in partnership with DaVinci Wine.  DaVinci Wine has provided me with this experience.  All thoughts, opinions and recipes are my own.

      Now check out some other recap posts from my fellow DaVinci Storytellers!

      A Week in Tuscany with DaVinci Wine!!

      Fix Feast Flair

      Tuscany

      My Name is Yeh

      Ribollita – Tuscany Vegetable Bean Soup

      Foodie with Family

      34
      Brandon and Federico
      Brandon

      I’m Brandon: food explorer, recipe curator, cocktail shaker, dessert lover. Kitchen Konfidence is how I document my time spent in my favorite space, the kitchen. Did you make a recipe? Tag @brandiego on Instagram so I can see the how it went!

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      Categories: Dinner Tags: black pepper, butter, chicken stock, garlic, kale, kosher salt, olive oil, onion, parmesan cheese, pinot grigio, risotto rice, swiss chard, thyme, white beans

      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Averie @ Averie Cooks says

        December 5, 2015 at 3:33 pm

        Pinot Grigio-infused risotto, with the beans, and then greens, and the parmesan…DREAM food! I could eat the heck out of this, like, every meal of the week!

        I have loved your DaVinci posts and your trip photos…so awesome and thanks for sharing!

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          December 8, 2015 at 11:35 am

          Hahah thanks Averie!!! I could eat this type of food all the time as well. So nourishing and delicious.

          Reply
      2. Chad says

        December 7, 2015 at 3:18 pm

        4 stars
        When should the beans be added? Unless I’m missing it (which is POSSIBLE), I think you left it out of the instructions… 🙂

        Thanks!

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          December 7, 2015 at 5:00 pm

          Great catch! I left that bit out. Stir them in after the rice is finished cooking. Then you can add the Parmesan cheese and butter. Enjoy!!

          Reply
      3. Alex says

        December 10, 2015 at 4:22 am

        4 stars
        Great recipe there! Seems delicious

        Reply
      4. [email protected] says

        December 10, 2015 at 10:40 am

        Love all of these photos, beautiful food, people, and place! I can only imagine how perfect it was, just like this recipe. All about it!

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          December 31, 2015 at 1:54 pm

          Thanks Fabiola!!

          Reply
      5. Jenn @ Peas and Crayons says

        December 10, 2015 at 6:32 pm

        I feel like every day of my vacation focuses on cheese 😉 Haha love it! You’re making me want to jetset stat!

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          December 31, 2015 at 1:54 pm

          That’s not a bad thing to be focused on ;). Thanks Jenn!

          Reply
      6. Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says

        December 10, 2015 at 9:08 pm

        Another gorgeous post, Brandon! At first I thought that town was San Gimignano, one of my favorite towns in Tuscany. It too sits up on a hill overlooking the beautiful Tuscan landscape. And speaking of beautiful…that CHEESE…those CURED MEATS…totally swoon-worthy.

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          December 31, 2015 at 1:53 pm

          I looooooved the meats and cheeses. Especially when paired with wine. Thanks Kimberly!

          Reply
      7. Christiane ~ Taking On Magazines says

        December 11, 2015 at 12:31 pm

        You’re killing me. I was all set to sit and sigh with satisfaction over that amazing risotto when you had to bring Italy into the picture and make me utterly green with envy. My husband and I often talk about how we wish we could pull up everything and move to northern Italy. Thanks for sharing your trip with us.

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          December 31, 2015 at 1:44 pm

          I’ve also dreamed of moving to Italy. It’s so enchanting! Thanks Christiane.

          Reply
      8. Leela says

        December 12, 2015 at 10:50 am

        A lot of my memories growing up are all about the food there. I miss the taste of fresh mozzarella.

        Reply
      9. Rebecca {foodie with family} says

        December 13, 2015 at 3:54 pm

        Wow. I so miss being there with everyone! The food! The wine! The cheese! The meat! The architecture! The people!!! This is a great wrap-up, Brandon. What an amazing experience that was. And that beans and greens risotto is inspired. I can’t wait to give it a try!

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          December 31, 2015 at 1:43 pm

          I miss it too!! When can we go back :)? Thanks Rebecca and have a Happy New Year!!

          Reply
      10. Natasha Uraine says

        December 14, 2015 at 1:16 pm

        Can this be made in advance & reheated?

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          December 31, 2015 at 1:41 pm

          I wouldn’t recommend it. Risotto can get gummy when reheated. The greens can be steamed in advance though.

          Reply
      11. Jennifer Tammy says

        December 15, 2015 at 11:01 am

        Ok before I head over to part 1 of this AMAZING trip (seriously, how do I book mine?) I had to say that this sounds like a genius dish and I can’t wait to try it – I’d be making it tonight if I had greens in the house. It looks amazing.

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          December 31, 2015 at 1:40 pm

          Thanks Jennifer!!! Let me know how you like it.

          Reply
      12. Fifi says

        May 7, 2016 at 12:08 pm

        Love the pics. Thank you for sharing.

        Reply
      13. Carrie Harrison says

        May 14, 2021 at 8:36 am

        5 stars
        This is one of my favorite dinners to cook. My sister sent it to me and we both are obsessed with it.

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          May 15, 2021 at 4:25 pm

          Hi Carrie! I’m so glad you and your sister are enjoying this recipe. Thanks for sharing 🙂

          Reply
      14. Jordan says

        August 22, 2021 at 2:37 pm

        4 stars
        Very tasty! However, I definitely recommend adding lemon juice at the end (a quarter to a half lemon). I also really like adding the zest from the lemon but it all depends on how much you like that flavor. I would also cut way back on the oil next time. I used the two tablespoons it called for for the rice, and another three to four for the kale, and still had a lot left over. Also, I just sauteed the kale in the garlic oil instead of steaming it and then drizzling the oil on it. I really like cooking the greens down for a long time. I even added a little bit of the leftover broth to braise them.

        Reply
        • Brandon Matzek says

          September 25, 2021 at 12:53 pm

          Thanks for sharing Jordan!

          Reply

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      I'm Brandon: food explorer, recipe curator, cocktail shaker, dessert lover. Kitchen Konfidence is how I document my time spent in my favorite space, the kitchen. Read More…


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