Shelly's Recipe

SWEET CORN AND CRAB RISOTTO

Category: Rice/Risotto

4 ears white corn, husked
1 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms
4 tbsp olive oil
5 cups low salt chicken stock, hot
1-1/4 cup finely chopped onions
1-1/2 cup Arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 lb jumbo lump backfin crabmeat
2 cups stemmed baby spinach
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1-2 tbsp minced jalapeno (optional)
Salt only if necessary
2 tbsp freshly chopped parsley
2 tbsp minced chives
1 tomato, large, peeled, seeded and diced
Additional cheese for garnish

Remove corn from the cob. Reserve 1 cup of the kernels. Puree the remaining corn in a food processor. Saute the mushrooms in 2 tbsp of the olive oil until brown. Set both the corn and mushrooms aside.

Heat remaining 2 tbsp olive oil in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute 2 minutes. Add rice; stir 3 minutes. Add wine; stir until liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup hot stock. Simmer until liquid is absorbed, stirring often.

Continue adding stock 1/2 cup at a time until rice is tender but still firm in center and mixture is creamy, simmering until stock is absorbed before each addition and stirring often, about 25 minutes.

Mix corn puree, corn kernels, mushrooms, spinach, crab, 2 tbsp butter, jalapeno and Parmesan into the rice. Check for seasoning. Add a little chicken stock if necessary to moisten. Remove from heat and spoon into soup bowls. Top with tomato, parsley, and chives. Sprinkle with additional cheese if desired. Serves 4.

Serve with a medium-bodied crisp white wine such as a Sancerre or Pouilly-Fume, a Sauvignon Blanc or a white Bordeaux. This would also work with a slightly chilled light red such as a Beaujolais or a Pinot Noir.