Corn Risotto

Corn Risotto?  Is this another of Kate's funky ideas?  Nope, blame this one on Cat Cora.  We make risotto often.  Well, ofen for us.  Probably once a month.  Why in the world would you combine two starches?  Because it's really good.  Especially if it's drizzled with white truffle oil.  Of course, as Connie says, you could probably drizzle dog poop with white truffle oil and it'd taste good.  I remember the first time he bought the stuff at the grocery store.  He called (this is not unusual - either my list is lacking or his hunting skills are lacking and we need to touch base while he's shopping)  Do you have ANY clue how expensive this stuff is????  No, please tell me.  It's FOURTEEN dollars a can.  Holy COW, really.  Would I be calling you if it was cheap?  No, I guess not but the recipe is pretty specific.  We need the stuff.  So, let's go ahead and spend the money and get it.  We're about to have to buy our second bottle.  This white truffle oil has turned out to be something that can totally make a dish.  And, this one is an example.  It was pretty blah.  We'd both given it a three and were about a third of the way thru our servings.  Then, the light bulb went on.  I dashed in the house and grabbed the truffle oil.  Voila, a four

Corn Risotto

Ingredients:
3-4 cups chicken broth (homemade stock is best)
1 medium onion, diced
1 T olive oil
1 T butter
1 c Arborio rice
3/4 c dry white wine
3 roasted banana peppers, finely diced
3/4 c roasted corn, cut off the ear
1/2 c finely shredded romano cheese
white truffle oil for drizzling

Directions:

Heat (or in my case, thaw) the chicken broth/stock.  It should just be steaming.

Melt the butter in a large saucepan.  Add the olive oil, then the onion. 

Cook until the onion is translucent.

Add the rice and cook until it is just slightly browned.  You just want to get the flavor kicked up a little bit.

Pour in the wine and stir until it's absorbed.  The stirring is really important while making risotto.  It's something about disturbing the grains of rice...

Add the chicken broth/stock about 1/2 c at a time, stirring until it's absorbed before adding any more.

When the rice is the right texture - no more crunchy center, firm and a little bit chewy, not soggy or mushy - remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the corn, peppers and romano. 

Serve drizzled with a little white truffle oil. 

adapted from Cat Cora's Classics with a Twist