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Elara Solari

Sweet Corn and Zucchini Risotto with Lemon and Basil

A late summer risotto built on corn milk and end of season zucchini, finished with lemon, butter, and torn basil. Tuscan technique doing California work.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 8 people
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Californian, Italian
Calories: 480
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 5 ea. ears sweet corn husked
  • 8 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
  • 6 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 large yellow onion
  • 3 medium zucchini about 1.5 lb., cut into small dice
  • 4 ea. cloves garlic thinly sliced
  • 2 1/2 cups Carnaroli or Arborio rice
  • 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
  • 1 1/2 cups Parmigiano Reggiano finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for the table
  • 1 ea. Lemon Zest and juice
  • 1 large Basil leaves torn

Equipment

  • 1 Wide heavy-bottomed pot or braiser 5 to 6 quarts
  • 1 Medium saucepan
  • 1 Ladle
  • 1 Wooden spoon
  • 1 Chef's knife
  • 1 Wide shallow bowl
  • 1 Microplane or fine grater
  • 1 Shallow serving bowls

Method
 

  1. 1.     Cut the kernels from the corn into a wide bowl. Stand each stripped cob back up and scrape it firmly with the back of a knife to release the corn milk. Reserve the kernels and the milk separately.
    2.     Bring the stock to a bare simmer in a saucepan and keep it hot on a back burner. Add the corn milk to the stock and stir.
    3.     In a wide heavy pot, heat the olive oil with 2tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the onion with a good pinch of salt and cook gently for 8 minutes, until soft and translucent but not browned.
    4.     Add the zucchini and garlic and cook 5 minutes more, stirring, until the zucchini is just tender at the edges. Season with salt.
    5.     Add the rice and stir for 2 minutes, until the grains are coated and the edges look translucent.
    6.     Pour in the wine and stir until it has almost completely evaporated.
    7.     Begin adding the hot stock one ladle at a time, stirring often and waiting until each addition is nearly absorbed before adding the next. Keep the heat at a lively simmer. This will take 18 to 22minutes.
    8.     When the rice is nearly al dente, stir in the corn kernels and one more ladle of stock. Cook 3 minutes more. The risotto should be loose enough to spread slowly when spooned onto a plate.
    9.     Take the pot off the heat. Beat in the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter and the Parmigiano vigorously, then the lemon zest and juice. Taste and correct the salt.
    10.  Rest the risotto 2 minutes off the heat, tear the basil over the top, and serve in shallow bowls with more cheese at the table.

Notes

The corn milk in the stock is the step people ask about afterward. It costs nothing, it takes ninety seconds, and it is the difference between corn risotto and risotto with corn in it.
Do not wash the rice, and do not walk away during the last five minutes. If the risotto tightens up between the stove and the table, loosen it with a splash of hot stock and stir once.
For a vegetarian table, use vegetable stock and a rennet free hard cheese.
Pairing: ONEHOPE Arroyo Seco Chardonnay, served cold but not ice cold. The lemon and butter in this risotto want a citrus-driven white alongside them, not tannin, and this is the bottle I keep coming back to for exactly that. If you would rather stay on the rosé from the first course, stay on the rosé. Nobody at my table has ever objected.