Sweet Corn Risotto

You'll have to pardon the picture.  I originally posted this pic on Instagram like I do most other food pics.....it's what we were having for dinner that night....never intending to blog about it.  More than one friend asked me to post the recipe and I aim to please, so.......

Risotto is one of those things I can throw together on nights when there's not much to speak of in the fridge and I've already had a glass of wine and am not going to the store.  I've always got the basics in the pantry.....onion, garlic, arborio rice, WINE, anchovies, parmesan, and chicken stock.  Then I just scan the fridge or the freezer for something to "gild the lily".  If I can't find anything, Mr. B gets plain risotto, but most often I've got frozen peas, mushrooms, or another vegetable.  This night I had three ears of sweet corn that needed a home.  A trip to the herb garden and I've got dinner.

The rest is just time and stirring.

Here's the recipe:

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

4 tbsp butter

2 tbsp olive oil

1 large onion (either white or yellow), chopped

3 cloves of garlic, minced

3 anchovies, minced (add a pinch of salt to the chopped garlic and anchovies and mash them all together into a paste with the back of your knife)

1 cup white wine....nothing sweet.  I typically use Sauv Blanc, but Chard or Pinot Grigio also work great.  Whatever you like to drink

2 cups arborio rice

7 cups chicken stock

1 cup parmesan, grated

corn kernels scraped from 3 cobs of corn (or you could use 1 1/2 cups frozen corn that has been thawed)

2 tbsp fresh herbs...I used basil, but thyme or sage would work also

Salt and Pepper

Directions:

Put the stock in a large pot and bring to a simmer.  Reduce the heat to low and keep warm.  If you've scraped your corn from the cob, add the cobs to the stock while you bring it to a simmer and then remove them.  If you've used frozen corn, no worries.  Just skip that step.

Heat olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.  When the butter is melted add the chopped onion and cook until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add about a tsp of salt and a few grinds of black pepper.   Reduce the heat to medium and add the garlic/anchovy/salt mixture to the pan and cook for about a minute.  Add the arborio rice and stir, getting the rice all coated with the onion mixture.  Stir for about a minute.  Add the wine.  Stir constantly until the wine has mostly evaporated.

Now comes the tedious part (I, however, find it relaxing).  You can't leave the stove for 30 minutes!  Get yourself (a large glass of wine) and ladle or a measuring cup and add that stock to the risotto a cup at a time, letting the stock evaporate between each addition......add a cup of stock and continuously stir until the liquid in the pan is gone, then add another and stir until evaporated, etc, etc. until all the stock is gone.  It should take 3-4 minutes for each stock addition to evaporate.  The whole process should take about 30 minutes.  Adjust your heat accordingly.

When all the stock has been added, add in the corn and parmesan and stir to combine.  Taste for seasoning and adjust.  Stir in the fresh herbs, saving a few to sprinkle on after plating.