Shortcut Corn Risotto with Summer “Succotash”

From Why Do You Need So Many Cookbooks?

From Fresh & Fast Vegetarian: Recipes that Make a Meal
By Marie Simmons
Houghton Mifflin, April 2011
Photograph by Luca Travoto

Here’s the recipe you’ll need when fresh sweet corn arrives in abundance. It’s what Marie makes to celebrate fresh corn, sweet juicy tomatoe,s and tender green beans. “A big bowl of it can make a meal,” she says.

Serves 4

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• 1½ cups Arborio or other medium-grain white rice
• ½ cup dry white wine
• Coarse salt
• 3 cups fresh corn kernels (from 6 ears)
• 5 ounces creamy, mild goat’s-milk feta cheese or fresh goat cheese, crumbled
• 1 cup diagonally sliced (¼ inch) green beans
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 2 cups diced (½ inch) tomatoes
• ¼ cup loosely packed torn fresh basil leaves
• Freshly ground black pepper

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet until it is hot enough to sizzle a piece of onion. Add ½ cup of the onion and cook, stirring, over medium-low heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the rice and stir until coated with the oil. Add 2½ cups water, the wine and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil, stirring once. Cook, covered, over low heat, stirring once or twice, until the rice is creamy and tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir in 1 cup of the corn and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Fold in ½ cup of the cheese.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet until it is hot enough to sizzle a piece of onion. Add the remaining ½ cup onion and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 cups corn, the green beans and garlic and cook, stirring, until the beans are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes, basil, a pinch of salt and a generous grinding of black pepper.

To serve, spoon the risotto into four shallow bowls. Top with the succotash and sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup cheese.