Sweet Corn Risotto
Category
Dress Up the Ordinary
Servings
4-6
This dish is the perfect way to enjoy summer sweet corn--in a creamy risotto accented with fresh thyme and Parmesan cheese. Serve it as a main dish with a tomato salad or as a side for grilled chicken, fish, or pork.
Ingredients
-
7 cups water
-
2 ears fresh corn
-
1 1/2 ounces Fond de Poulet Gold®
-
3 sprigs fresh thyme, tied together with kitchen twine
-
2 tablespoons olive oil
-
2 large leeks, white and pale green parts, thinly sliced
-
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
-
1/2 cup dry white wine
-
Salt and ground black pepper
-
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
-
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
-
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme, for garnish
Methods/Steps
Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan. With a sharp paring knife, cut the kernels off the ears of corn. Transfer them to a small bowl and set aside. Place the corn cobs in the water and simmer for 30 minutes, then remove and discard them.
Add the Fond de Poulet Gold®and the thyme sprigs to the liquid, stirring to dissolve the concentrate, and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and keep the stock at a low simmer.
In another large saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium low heat. Add the leeks and cook until they're soft and translucent but not browned, about 5 minutes. Add the rice to the pan, raise the heat to medium, and cook, stirring to coat, about 3 minutes.
Add the wine and cook, stirring frequently, until it is absorbed. Season generously with salt and pepper. Ladle 1½ cups of the hot stock into the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until the stock is absorbed. Adjust the heat to maintain the rice at a gentle simmer. Continue adding the stock, ½ cup at a time, cooking and stirring until each addition is absorbed, until the rice is al dente. (Cooking time is usually 12-16 minutes after the addition of the wine.) Discard the thyme sprigs and save any remaining stock for another use.
Remove the risotto from the heat stir in the corn kernels, cheese, and butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately, sprinkled with fresh thyme.
Additional Tips
If you're in a hurry, you can skip simmering the corn cobs in the water in step 1, or you can make the stock through step 2 in advance. Store it covered in the refrigerator (along with the corn kernels) until you're ready to use it, then bring it to a simmer before starting to make the risotto.
Wine Pairing: a buttery California chardonnay