Description

This Sweet Corn Risotto with Pancetta is a creamy and flavorful dish, enhanced by the fresh corn pulp and crispy pancetta, making it a delightful meal for any corn lover.

Ingredients

Units Scale

6-8 cups low sodium chicken stock
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 oz pancetta, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced finely
4 shallots, minced
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
4 ears of corn, kernels removed and cobs milked
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Chopped fresh chives, for garnish

Instructions

Prepare the corn first. Using a sharp knife, cut the kernels off the cobs and place in a bowl. Be sure not to cut too close to the cob, you want just the soft crisp nuggets of corn. Then you want to “milk” the corn cobs. This basically means you want to squeeze all the pulp and juice out of the cob. I used my microplane to gently grate the cobs of corn over a bowl. After I went over the entire cob with the microplane, I quickly ran the back of my knife down each cob to squish out the rest of the juice. This can get a bit messy, so use a large bowl and wear an apron.
Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a large saucepan or small stockpot, then reduce heat to low and keep warm.
In a large heavy pot, melt two tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add two tablespoons of olive oil. Add pancetta and cook until most of the fat has rendered and starts to crisp. Add the garlic and saute for another 1-2 minutes, just until fragrant. Remove from heat, and transfer pancetta to a bowl and set aside.
Over medium heat in the same pot, melt two tablespoons of butter with two tablespoons of olive oil. Add the shallots and saute until tender, about 6-8 minutes.
Stir in the rice, and let cook until the rice toasts a bit and becomes slightly translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the wine and cook until it has absorbed, stirring frequently, about 3 minutes. When wine is just about all absorbed, add the corn kernels and pulp and stir to combine.
Reduce heat to medium low, and add 1 cup of hot broth, stirring rice very frequently until broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1 cup at a time and stirring, until rice is just al dente. This should take about 30-40 minutes, and you may not need all the broth.
When the rice is at the al dente stage, stir in the pancetta, the rest of the butter, cheese, and chives. Add plenty of black pepper and salt to taste. Serve immediately, and if you have leftovers, its nice to have a bit of chicken broth in the fridge to loosen up the risotto as its reheating. Just a few tablespoons of hot broth can turn a sticky clump of leftover risotto nice and creamy again.

Notes

Milking the corn cobs adds a deeper corn flavor to the risotto. Leftovers can be used to make arancini (fried risotto balls). Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove with a little extra stock to maintain creaminess.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: Italian

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving
Calories: 450
Sugar: 6
Sodium: 750
Fat: 20
Carbohydrates: 55
Fiber: 4
Protein: 15
Cholesterol: 45