Sweet Corn And Tomato Risotto Cooper's Hawk
If you're a fan of Italian cuisine, you've probably tried risotto at least once in your life. This creamy and comforting dish is made by cooking Arborio rice with broth until it reaches a rich and velvety texture. Risotto is often paired with ingredients like mushrooms or seafood, but Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants has taken a more summery approach by adding sweet corn and cherry tomatoes to their version of the classic dish.
The Cooper's Hawk Experience
Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants is a chain of upscale casual dining venues that specialize in wine and food pairings. Founded in 2005 in Illinois, Cooper's Hawk has over 30 locations across the United States, each with a winery and tasting room where guests can sample the brand's signature wines.
Cooper's Hawk's menu features a wide range of dishes that are designed to complement the restaurant's wines, which are made from grapes sourced from California, Oregon, and Washington. The restaurant's sommeliers are on hand to help guests find the perfect wine to match their meal, making for an immersive dining experience that blends food and wine in a harmonious way.
The Sweet Corn and Tomato Risotto
Cooper's Hawk's Sweet Corn and Tomato Risotto is a perfect representation of the restaurant's approach to cuisine. The dish starts with a base of creamy Arborio rice that's cooked with white wine and vegetable broth until it's perfectly al dente.
The risotto is then seasoned with garlic, shallots, and Parmesan cheese, which give it a savory depth of flavor. The sweet corn and cherry tomatoes are added to the dish towards the end of the cooking process, giving the dish a pop of freshness and color.
The finished dish is garnished with fresh basil and additional Parmesan cheese, making for a colorful and flavorful plate that's perfect for a summertime meal.
Making Your Own Sweet Corn and Tomato Risotto
If you're feeling inspired to make your own Sweet Corn and Tomato Risotto at home, it's a surprisingly easy dish to make. You'll need Arborio rice, vegetable broth, white wine, garlic, shallots, Parmesan cheese, sweet corn, cherry tomatoes, and fresh basil.
To start, bring your vegetable broth to a simmer in a separate pot. In a large saucepan, sauté chopped garlic and shallots until they're soft and fragrant. Add the Arborio rice to the pan and stir until it's coated in the garlic and shallot mixture.
Next, add a splash of white wine to the pan and stir the rice until the wine is absorbed. Begin adding the vegetable broth to the pan, one ladleful at a time, stirring the rice until the broth is absorbed before adding another ladleful.
Continue this process until the rice is cooked and creamy, but still has a slight bite to it. This should take around 20-30 minutes.
Lastly, stir in the sweet corn and cherry tomatoes and cook the risotto for another 5 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in grated Parmesan cheese to taste. Garnish with fresh basil and more Parmesan cheese before serving.
Final Thoughts
Sweet Corn and Tomato Risotto is a delicious and summery take on a classic Italian dish. Whether you're enjoying it at Cooper's Hawk Winery & Restaurants or making it at home, this dish is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.