Description
This creamy Corn Risotto recipe is made with fresh summer corn, leeks, basil, Parmesan, and a silky corn puree for an extra-luscious finish.
Ingredients
- 3 ears of corn (or sub 3 cups frozen)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 medium leeks (or sub one white onion), sliced and rinsed
- 2-4 garlic cloves, rough chopped
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 1/4 cup dry white wine (or skip it)
- 1/2 cup -1 cup pecorino cheese (or sub parmesan)
- 1/4 cup basil, cut into ribbons
- salt, pepper and chili flakes to taste
- Optional- a pat of butter
Instructions
- Corn Leek Broth. Cut the corn kernels off the cobs and set aside. Ready a stock pot. Use the edge of your knife to scrape the milky cob “juice” into the pot, and add the cobs to the pot as well. Cut the dark green leek tops off the leeks, split them in half, rinse well, and add them to the same pot. Cover with 7 cups of water and a teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer gently for 20-30 minutes. Feel free to add other veggie scraps or aromatics (garlic, bay leaves, celery, carrot peels, herbs, etc.)
- Saute. Add the olive oil to a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Add the rinsed leeks and garlic to the pan and sauté, stirring often until softened and fragrant, roughly 4 minutes. Add the corn kernels; sauté until tender, 4 more minutes.
- Blend. Place half of the corn and leek mixture in a blender, add 1 cup broth, and blend until silky smooth. Set aside.
- Risotto. Add the Arborio rice to the same pan and stir for 1- 2 minutes. Pour in the optional wine and cook until it has completely cooked off and the rice feels dry. Stir in a cup of corn-leek broth at a time, uncovered over medium or medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until the rice absorbs the broth. After adding 3-3 ½ cups, the rice should be al dente. (The grain should be tender and creamy, with just a slight firmness at the center.) As more as needed.
- Combine. Stir in the puréed corn-leek mixture. Feel free to rinse the blender with more broth and add it to the risotto. Let the rice cook a little longer, until creamy but still holding its shape. Stir in the cheese.
- Consistency. Add more broth as needed to reach your favorite consistency. Tip: Aim for a loose, creamy finish. .
- Season to taste. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add chili flakes if you like. My husband loves this with a pat of butter stirred in, and paired with the fresh corn, it is heavenly. Feel free to leave it out. Sprinkle with the fresh basil ribbons before serving.
Notes
Consistency. The finished risotto should be loose and creamy, gently spreading across the plate rather than sitting in a stiff mound. Add broth as needed to create this.
Leftovers will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat gently on the stove, adding broth as needed, or in the microwave.
To make the smoky Shrimp. Thaw 1 lb shrimp (peeled and deveined). Pat dry and place in a bowl. In a small bowl, mix ½ teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon granulated garlic, ½ teaspoon cumin, and a pinch of cayenne. Sprinkle over the shrimp and toss to coat. Pan-sear in a hot skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat until golden.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 ½ cups
- Calories: 366
- Sugar: 9.5 g
- Sodium: 746.7 mg
- Fat: 16.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 6.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 44.4 g
- Fiber: 3.4 g
- Protein: 14.8 g
- Cholesterol: 29.5 mg
