Corn Risotto

INGREDIENTS

serves 4-6

6 cups (1.5 litres) chicken stock

2 corn cobs, kernels removed, cobs reserved for the stock

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

3 tablespoons butter

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups (330 g) carnaroli rice

hailstorm of grated parmesan

3 tablespoons finely chopped chives

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS

100 g (3 1/2 oz) stracciatella, and tomato sauce, because there’s always one jerk who thinks it can be improved and tbh it’s their life they are destroying so let them have it

Method

place the stock in a saucepan over low heat to warm through, adding the reserved cobs for flavour.

Heat the oil in a large high-sided frying pan over medium heat.

Add the onion and corn kernels and saute until softened and just starting to brown, about 10 minutes.

Add 1 tablespoon of butter, the garlic and rice and cook for a further 2 minutes.

Begin adding the warm stock, a ladle at a time, stirring as you go.

Continue until the rice is a soft creamy texture but with a bit of bite in the centre.

Take the pan off the heat, add a final ladle of stock, the remaining butter, the parmesan and most of the chives.

Give it a really firm handshake of a stir to encourage a glossy, silky finish.

I kept a few kernels aside from the frying process to top the risotto with the last of the chives, which feels like a jazzy little trick for guest impress, but finishing each serve with a spoonful of stracchiatella (the life blood of a burrata) is amazing.