You know I love corn and I love risotto. So it’s inevitable that I’d combine these two into quite possibly one of my favorite recipes of the year, Sweet Corn Risotto with Thyme and Mascarpone. Risotto is an unexpectedly perfect backdrop for the subtle, sweet, delicate flavor of corn. Likewise, thyme is gentle enough not to overpower the corn, but earthy enough to complement the corn’s sweetness. Mascarpone (an Italian cheese that is like a cross between cream and butter) is melted over the top of the bowl to add a final luxurious layer to this humble meal. Despite how ordinary these ingredients may seem, you’ll know from the first spoonful that this dish provides an extraordinary depth of flavor. And what recipe could be more perfect for the cusp between summer and fall? Enjoy the last of the corn harvest in a cozy bowl of risotto perfect for newly chilly nights.
There’s a couple of tricks to taking this recipe from good to great. One of them is steeping the corn cobs in half and half after slicing off the kernels. There is so much flavor and sweetness in the cobs, there’s no reason to throw that away! Simmering the cobs in half and half infuses the sweet, corn flavor into the cream. That way, instead of adding plain half and half to the risotto, we’re adding another layer of corn flavor and essence.
Also, after cooking down the onions and garlic with the corn, I like to put half of the corn aside while cooking the rice. I wanted to leave some corn so that the flavor infuses into the rice as it cooks, but I didn’t want it to become too soft and lose its texture. Pulling half aside achieves the best of both worlds. After the risotto is cooked, the rest of the corn is swirled back in, giving some texture and color to the risotto.
The rest of this recipe is standard risotto protocol. Toast the rice, add some wine, slowly stir in chicken broth, finish with cheese. It takes a little time, but it is far from complicated. And the end result is more than worth it. Just remember to take out the thyme sprigs before digging in (their flavor will already have infused into the risotto).
The final swirl of mascarpone adds a creamy, mild, velvety finish that keeps you coming back for more. Be sure to add a dollop while the risotto is still hot so it can melt into every delicious nook and cranny.
Corn not your thing? Try my Lemon Risotto with Asparagus.
I hope you love this Sweet Corn Risotto with Thyme and Mascarpone as much as I do! If you make this recipe, leave a comment and let me know what you thought or feel free to ask a question! I’d also love to see what you made! Tag me in your food pics @fortheperfectbite or use #fortheperfectbite on Instagram
Sweet Corn Risotto with Thyme and Mascarpone
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 yellow onion chopped
- 4 medium ears fresh corn
- 1 cup half and half
- 2 cups Arborio rice
- 2 large sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
- ¾ cup dry white wine
- 6 cups chicken broth low sodium
- 1 cup fontina cheese, grated
- kosher salt to taste
- black pepper freshly ground to taste
- 6 tbsp mascarpone cheese
Instructions
- In a large pot (I use a dutch-oven), melt the butter with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute until just starting to caramelize, about 4 minutes.
- Slice the corn kernels from the cobs and add the kernels to the garlic and onion (don't throw out the cobs!). Cook together until softened, about 4 minutes.
- In a saucepan, bring the half and half to a simmer over medium-low heat, add the corn cobs, and simmer until reduced by about half.
- Remove half of the corn and onion mixture into a bowl. Reserve for later.
- Warm the chicken broth in a separate pot on the stove until just steaming.Stir the rice, thyme sprigs, and 1 tsp. salt into the remaining corn in the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and toast the rice, stirring, about 4 minutes, until the rice is just barely browning.
- Pour in the wine. Stir until the wine is absorbed into the rice.
- Decrease the heat back to medium and stir in a few ladles of the hot chicken broth. Cook, stirring often, until the broth is absorbed, keeping a gentle simmer going. Continue this process, adding the chicken broth a ladle at a time and stirring until it is absorbed, until all the broth is gone.
- Taste a small spoon of rice to check for doneness, it should be soft with just a slight chew to it.
- Discard the corn cobs and stir the half and half into the risotto.
- When the rice is cooked, stir in the reserved corn and onion, fontina cheese, and freshly cracked black pepper and salt, to taste.
- If the risotto is too thick, it can be thinned with a little more broth. If it is too thin, it can be simmered a bit longer to thicken.
- Remove the woody thyme sprigs. Serve, swirling 1 tablespoon mascarpone onto each serving and topping with extra thyme, if desired.
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