Cooktop Cove: This Southern sweet corn risotto will satisfy any dinner guest
By Robin Donovan
Corn represents the height of fresh, sweet summer produce. It's also a vegetable that is central to authentic Southern cooking. The recipe that follows uses the sweet kernels of fresh, perfectly ripe summer corn in an Italian rice preparation that is uniquely Southern in flavor.
If corn isn't in season, you can still make this dish with frozen (thawed) corn kernels. It will be delicious, but it won't have that fantastic summer-on-the-plate quality that you get with plump fresh kernels harvested straight from the summer sun.
Southern Sweet Corn Risotto
6
10 minutes
35 minutes
45 minutes
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 shallots, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Kernels cut from 3 ears of corn (about 2 cups)
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (or more for extra hotness)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1-1/2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
6 cups chicken broth, heated and kept warm in a saucepan on the stove
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
6 cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
Long chives (optional)
Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add the corn, shallots and garlic. Cook, stirring, until tender, about 10 minutes.
Stir in the hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper to taste. Transfer the corn mixture to a bowl.
Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter with the olive oil in the skillet.
Stir in the rice and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute, until the rice is coated with the butter-oil mixture.
Stir in the wine and continue to stir until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
Add the warm broth, about 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly until the rice absorbs the liquid before adding the next cup of broth.
Continue in this manner until the rice is tender and creamy, about 25 minutes total. (You may not need all 6 cups of the broth.) Remove from the heat.
Stir in the corn mixture and the Parmesan cheese until thoroughly combined.
Season to taste with additional salt, pepper and hot pepper sauce as needed.
Press into mold on plate to serve, garnishing with halved cherry tomatoes and long chives.
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