Sweet Corn Risotto

This is adapted from The New Vegetarian Epicure. Don’t bother making it unless you can get really great summer corn.

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 ears sweet corn

  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped

  • 1 T olive oil

  • 6-8 cups Imagine free-range chicken broth

  • 2 cups Arborio rice (orange box at deLaurenti)

  • ¾ cup dry white wine

  • ¾ cup grated parmesan (I like grana padano)

  • 2 T chopped fresh parsley

MISE EN PLACE

  • Do all your chopping and measuring.

  • Bring chicken stock to a gentle boil.

  • Get out a ladle.

METHOD

By whatever means suits you, remove the corn silk and slice corn kernals off the cobs. Pulse half the corn in a food processor a few times until roughly chopped and milky, then add to a bowl with the whole kernals and set aside.

Over medium heat, saute the onion in the olive oil with a pinch of salt. Meanwhile, heat the broth to a simmer and get out a ladle. When the onions have softened, add the Arborio and stir gently, pretty much constantly for a few minutes until the rice looks chalks. You don’t want to allow anything to brown, so regulate heat as needed.

Add the wine to the rice and stir until it is absorbed.

Add a ladle of broth and stir until nearly absorbed. Do this two more times, and with the third ladle of broth, add the corn. Continue this pattern of adding a ladle of broth and stirring for about 25 minutes or until the rice is al dente.

When you have about 1-2 ladles of broth left and the rice seems about done, add the parsley and Parmesan and taste for seasoning.

NOTES:

Beretta Arborio Rice is my personal favorite. It has the best texture when cooked.