Rice is a staple in my kitchen. It can be used as a base for my quick Indian foods from Tasty Bite. It can be made into a filling for a taco or gluten-free quesadilla. It can be thrown into a stir-fry. Or…it can be used to make a risotto. The possibilities are endless. And I have every variety of rice hanging out in my pantry…trust me.
It just so happened that my CSA bin, last week, had four lovely ears of yellow corn inside. I didn’t have time to get to the corn last week, so I started trying to come up with some unique way to use it…rather than some deconstructed Mexican corn dish or something. The answer came to me via a recipe on the vegetarian food blog, Amuse Your Bouche. A risotto made with roasted corn and smoked paprika. It sounded fantastic. And between my bin and items already in my fridge and pantry…I just happened to have everything necessary to make it.
So…this morning after an 8 mile run, I came home, showered, then got to roasting up the corn for this particular risotto. The kitchen smelled fantastic as it was roasting away in the oven. Yes…the oven. The rest…that all was worked on after a quick circuit training session. And it all came together in a beautiful and highly tasty dish. In fact, Cathy, my roommate, declares it her favorite risotto I have ever made. And I’ve made a lot of risottos in my cooking days. So, that was a huge win.
Recipe: Roasted Corn Risotto with Smoked Paprika
Servings: 4
Time: Prep 10 minutes; Cook 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 250 grams corn kernels (I used fresh, cut from the cob, and weighed it. It was just over a cup. You could also use sweet corn from a can, if fresh corn is not an option for you)
- 10 grams butter (just under 1 tablespoon)
- 100 grams cheddar cheese, grated (just under 1/2 cup)
- Salt
- Black pepper
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 200 grams arborio rice (I weighed it, and it’s just about 1 cup)
- 4 cups vegetable stock (or 1 stock cube plus ~4 cups hot water)
- 1 tablespoon fresh coriander, chopped (optional)
Directions:
Lay the corn kernels out on a baking tray in a single layer.
Add a few small pats of butter and sprinkle with just a little of the cheddar (around 2-3 tablespoons – save the rest for later).
Season with salt and pepper and place in an oven heated to 400°F for around 30-40 minutes, stirring well halfway.
Remove from the oven when it is golden brown and the pieces at the edge are beginning to turn crispy.
While the corn is roasting, prepare the risotto itself.
Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan, wok or risotto pan, and cook the onion and garlic, along with the paprika, over a medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring regularly.
Add the rice and cook for about 2 minutes more.
Then begin to add the stock, around 1/2 cup at a time, allowing it to be mostly absorbed by the rice before adding a little more. Be sure to stir regularly. It’s okay if the mixture bubbles very gently, but keep it on a low heat.
Continue adding more stock (and stirring well) until the rice is cooked and at your desired consistency – around 30 minutes. Add the remaining grated cheese, the chopped coriander (if using), and the roasted corn.
Serve warm.
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The Amuse Your Bouche Web site does say that this risotto reheats really, really well. Which is good, because both Cathy and I have a serving of it for tomorrow’s dinner as well. Honestly, this risotto was packed…and I mean…packed with flavor. Cathy said it reminded her a lot of a gourmet macaroni and cheese…but with rice and corn.
I know…sometimes she states the obvious. But…the fact is…this risotto was just amazing. Super delicious. Creamy. Filling. And just made of epic YUM!! But…you should be the judge of that. So…don’t fear risotto. Embrace it. And make some tonight. I recommend this recipe. I highly recommend it.
The Celiathlete 