Rice is a symbol of abundance in Asian and Latin American cultures, while corn represents fertility and life in Native American traditions. Combine these two ingredients and you’ve got a refreshing dish.
Lemon & sweet corn risotto
Serves 6
Ingredients
5 Tbsp (75g) butter
3 Tbsp (45ml) olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, grated
2 cups Arborio (risotto) rice
½ cup (125ml) dry white wine
4 cups (1L) chicken stock
1 cup (250ml) cream
1 lemon
1 can (410g) creamed sweet corn
1 can (410g) corn kernels, drained
Salt and milled pepper
2 sweetcorn on the cob
Handful coriander, to garnish
Method
- Heat 2 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp olive oil in a pot over a medium heat. Sauté onion for about 5-8 minutes while stirring.
- Add garlic and rice, stir and allow the rice to toast for a few minutes. This deepens the nutty flavour of the rice.
- Add wine to the pot to deglaze, stirring until it has been absorbed completely.
- Turn heat down to low and add about ½ cup of stock at a time into the pot, stirring continuously until absorbed before the next addition. Repeat until all the stock has been added and absorbed by the cooking rice.
- Add the cream and remaining 3 Tbsp butter, stir until absorbed for about 5-8 minutes.
- Zest the lemon into the risotto and add just a small squeeze of lemon juice. Add both cans of corn, stir and season. Set aside, keeping warm.
- Heat a pan on a high heat, rub the corn on the cob with the remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil and char the corn until cooked and slightly blackened. Cut the corn off the cob.
- Dish the corn risotto into serving bowls and garnish with charred corn and coriander.
Recipe & styling: Lichelle May
Photography by: Zhann Solomons
Also read: Chicken and corn nacho bowls
