My CSA box has provided me with a steady flow of non-GMO corn the past few weeks and it’s so wonderful that most of it has been consumed as-is. I love the taste of it so much that I don’t even bother to season it half the time. I do enjoy cutting it off the cob and mixing it with other veggies like squash, onions, and tomatoes occasionally, but it’s some seriously good stuff without any accoutrements. Anyhow, one of my favorite preparations with the fresh corn is a shrimp and “grits” (that’s in quotation marks because it is just a chunky corn puree with seasonings). It’s great, and I’ll give you that recipe eventually, but lately I’ve been on a risotto kick. Yes, it’s a little time-consuming and it’s typically not healthy WHEN you get it in a restaurant (see my Eating Out vs Eating in blog post), but it only takes about 35-40 minutes and you can elect not to add tons of butter and cheese if you so choose.
Mushroom risotto is one of my favorites and mushrooms go so well with corn, so I brainstormed and came up with a charred sweet corn risotto with marinated portabella mushrooms and herbed goat cheese...and a crispy bread crumb/herb topping. And yes, it’s relatively healthy – pretty exciting, huh? What, you are scared of “charred” corn? You shouldn’t be.
Mushroom risotto is one of my favorites and mushrooms go so well with corn, so I brainstormed and came up with a charred sweet corn risotto with marinated portabella mushrooms and herbed goat cheese...and a crispy bread crumb/herb topping. And yes, it’s relatively healthy – pretty exciting, huh? What, you are scared of “charred” corn? You shouldn’t be.
Charring is not difficult to accomplish and note that it is NOT the same as burning your corn. You are using the natural sugars in the corn and effectively caramelizing them to create a slightly smoky and deeper corn flavor. Simply grill your ears of corn over high heat, flipping them a quarter turn every two minutes or so. Let them cool off a little before cutting the kernels off the cob to avoid charring your fingers as well...ha! Set them aside and get some chicken stock (or veggie stock....or seafood stock...) heating up on medium heat.
You want to use warm stock because if you add cold/lukewarm stock to your risotto as you go, you’re constantly bringing down the temperature of the rice and it’ll take much longer to cook. As far as rice goes, you’ll want to use a short grain variety such as arborio which is pretty easy to find and won’t break the bank. The idea behind risotto is that you’re constantly stirring it and releasing the starches from the rice so that it has a certain “creaminess” that gives it a luxurious mouth feel. As mentioned before, restaurants use a lot of cheese and butter to achieve this, but it’s totally not necessary.
It’s nice to have a little textural difference when you’ve got something that’s creamy, right? The charred corn will accomplish that to some extent, but I thought it’d be nice to step that up one more notch with some herbed bread crumbs. Panko bread crumbs, regular bread crumbs, fresh herbs, and a little salt/pepper...toasted in a small amount of olive oil for a minute or two and there you have it...crunchy texture awesomeness.
You want to use warm stock because if you add cold/lukewarm stock to your risotto as you go, you’re constantly bringing down the temperature of the rice and it’ll take much longer to cook. As far as rice goes, you’ll want to use a short grain variety such as arborio which is pretty easy to find and won’t break the bank. The idea behind risotto is that you’re constantly stirring it and releasing the starches from the rice so that it has a certain “creaminess” that gives it a luxurious mouth feel. As mentioned before, restaurants use a lot of cheese and butter to achieve this, but it’s totally not necessary.
It’s nice to have a little textural difference when you’ve got something that’s creamy, right? The charred corn will accomplish that to some extent, but I thought it’d be nice to step that up one more notch with some herbed bread crumbs. Panko bread crumbs, regular bread crumbs, fresh herbs, and a little salt/pepper...toasted in a small amount of olive oil for a minute or two and there you have it...crunchy texture awesomeness.
For the portabella mushrooms, just scoop out the gills with a spoon. They come out easily and leave a bit of space that you can fill with crab, breading, or whatever you’d like. Stick them in a plastic bag or vacuum seal them with 3-4 minced cloves of garlic, ¼ c balsamic or red wine vinegar, 1 tbsp olive oil, and a tablespoon or two of fresh parsley. 20 minutes is plenty of time since mushrooms soak up flavor like nobody’s business. I’d say an hour tops for this, as the vinegar could overpower the mushroom if they soak for too long.
You’re stirring the rice, ladling in stock as it evaporates from the risotto, and the mushrooms are marinating. Bread crumbs are ready. Life is good. Take a deep breath and decide if you want to add some herbed goat cheese to the equation. I did this and decided this particular time that I was going for it. Take some of the herbs you used for the bread crumbs (I used oregano/thyme/parsley) and chop them up finely...mix them into some plain goat cheese and you’re done. Herbed goat cheese! Fancy.
The mushrooms can be grilled in about 2-3 minutes once they’re removed from the marinade. It might be a little longer if you elect to use the indoor grill pan (3-5 minutes or so). The risotto rice is ready when you take a bite and like the texture. Everyone is different. Italians and myself tend to prefer a more al dente (slight chew to the rice) preparation as opposed to most Americans who tend to like their rice cooked a bit more thoroughly (read: mushy). Also, because you’re spending the entire time adding liquid slowly, this is when you want to taste for seasoning. When the rice is done to your liking, turn the heat off, stir in the parmesan cheese, and add salt/pepper in whatever amount suits you.
Serve it up with your mushrooms, which may or may not be filled with herbed goat cheese, depending on your preference...and sprinkle the prepared bread crumbs on top. It’s a wonderful summer dish which should be different with every bite. None of that boring textured risotto stuff for us.
The risotto recipe can be printed by clicking here or you can visit the recipe page here (where there is also a printable version available). Recipes for the portabella mushrooms, bread crumbs, and goat cheese are below.
There are a few notes that I’d like to make about risotto, just because I’m a little concerned that some of you may avoid making this because you’re maybe a bit intimidated by risotto or the thought of making it yourself. So yeah, I’m looking to quell those irrational fears.
For those of you who aren’t scurrrred, go forth and enjoy!
Notes for risotto:
1. Use a short grain rice such as arborio.
2. Onions can be used instead of shallots. White wine can be used instead of dry vermouth. Serranos can be replaced with jalapenos or you can omit the peppers entirely if you want to eliminate the Texas twist.
3. Err on the side of not enough liquid. Add a small ladleful of stock every time the liquid is almost completely evaporated. Make sure you are ladling in warm stock, not cold or room temperature.
4. Stir constantly, as that releases the starches and makes your risotto “creamier.”
5. Season at the end of cooking. Doing so too early could result in an inedibly salty risotto since you are constantly adding liquid and the risotto is soaking up flavor the entire time it’s cooking.
6. Everyone has different preferences on rice doneness. Test a grain after about 30 minutes of cooking and thereafter about every 2-3 minutes until it’s where you like it.
7. Don’t be scared...this isn’t rocket science and it’s a pretty impressive dish, especially if you’re serving it to someone who doesn’t eat risotto often (or ever).
Portabella Mushrooms
Remove gills from two portabella mushroom caps. Marinate in zip lock (or vacuum sealed plastic bag) with 1/4 cup of balsamic or red wine vinegar, 3-4 cloves of minced garlic, and a tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley. Grill for 3-5 minutes.
Herbed Bread Crumbs
Take 1 tbsp each of bread crumbs and Panko bread crumbs, mix with 1 tsp fresh minced herbs (such as oregano/thyme/parsley) and a sprinkling of salt/pepper. Toast in 1 tsp olive oil for 1-2 minutes until golden.
Herbed Goat Cheese
Simply mix 1 tbsp plain goat cheese with 1/2 tsp fresh minced herbs (such as oregano/thyme/parsley).
Split the goat cheese between the two portabella mushrooms (on the side where you scooped out the gills) and put on top of the risotto. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs to finish the dish. This is all optional and will make this a meal rather than a side dish. In that case, it will serve two people instead of four.
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