Try this Sweet Corn Risotto recipe, or contribute your own.
- salt and pepper
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1 large shallot or 1/2 small onion chopped
- 6 cups gluten-free chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons challenge butter (lactose-free if you need it!) divided
- 2 cups sweet corn kernels (about 3 small ears worth)
- 2 large leeks white and light green parts only sliced in half then into thin half moons
- 1-1/2 cups gluten-free arborio rice
- Carbohydrate 1.19450000016155 g
- Cholesterol 11 mg
- Fat 5.19625 g
- Fiber 0.0314999985694885 g
- Protein 4.90804500000435 g
- Saturated Fat 2.386614 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (23g)
- Sodium 210.199893229477 mg
- Sugar 1.16300000159206 g
- Trans Fat 0.2660565 g
- Calories 76 calories
Step-by-step
- Bring chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan then turn heat down to low to keep warm and place a lid on top.
- Meanwhile, melt 2 Tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat then add sweet corn, leeks, and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and then saute until leeks are tender, 10 minutes. Remove mixture to a bowl then set aside.
- Melt remaining Tablespoon butter in extra virgin olive oil in the skillet then add the shallots and saute until starting to turn tender, 2 minutes. Add rice then stir for one minute. Add wine then stir until nearly absorbed by the rice. Add two ladlefuls of chicken broth then stir constantly (not too fast, not too slow) until nearly absorbed then add another two ladlefuls and stir, etc until rice is creamy and al dente, 25-30 minutes (may not use all 6 cups of chicken broth.)
- Remove skillet from heat then stir in parmesan cheese and corn and leek mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste then serve.
Unlike a standard rice pilaf that relies on steam and dry heat to keep grains distinct, risotto demands constant friction and measured liquid absorption to liberate surface starches. Arborio rice holds up to this vigorous stirring without disintegrating completely, yielding a dish that is saucy on the plate rather than sticky or porridge-like. Originating in Northern Italy's rice-growing Po Valley, this technique transforms humble short-grain rice into a velvety vehicle for seasonal vegetables without relying on heavy cream.
Controlling Texture Through Temperature and Timing
Keeping the chicken broth hot in a separate saucepan is non-negotiable; adding cold liquid to a simmering pan drops the cooking temperature instantly and arrests starch release. Ladle the broth in two-cup increments, stirring continuously until the liquid nearly vanishes before adding the next portion. Maintain medium heat during the twenty-five to thirty-minute cooking window to ensure the rice cooks evenly to an al dente bite. Sautéing the leeks and sweet corn separately beforehand concentrates their natural sugars while preventing excess moisture from turning the rice grey and soggy.
- Grain is chalky and hard in the center: add another ladle of hot broth and continue stirring for three more minutes.
- Rice has a gummy, pasty mouthfeel: the stirring was likely too aggressive or the heat was too high, breaking the rice grains apart.
- Sauce breaks down into oily separation: the parmesan was added while the pan was still over active heat instead of safely off the burner.
