Saffron Risotto with Summer Corn and Dungeness Crab

Ingredients

1 ear fresh sweet corn

4 - 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth, approximately

5 tablespoons Tillamook Extra Creamy Unsalted Butter, or another premium unsalted butter,

divided

2 tablespoons Durant Olive Mill Extra Virgin Olive Oil, or another premium extra virgin olive oil

1⁄2 medium yellow onion, finely diced

1 garlic clove, finely chopped

2 cups Arborio rice

1 cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon saffron threads

1 cup cooked Dungeness crabmeat, picked over for shells

1⁄2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Jacobsen Salt Co. Pure Flake Sea Salt, or another premium flaked sea salt, to taste

Method

Position an oven rack near the top of the oven and preheat the broiler to high.

Line a broiler-safe baking sheet with aluminum foil. Cut the kernels from the corn cob directly onto the prepared baking sheet and spread them into a single layer.

Broil for 6–7 minutes, watching carefully, until the kernels are lightly charred in places and beginning to pop. Remove from the oven and set aside.

Meanwhile, pour the chicken broth in a saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Keep warm over low heat.

Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter with the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, cover and cook gently until soft and translucent but not browned, about 5–7 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for another 1–2 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium and add the Arborio rice. Stir for about 2 minutes, until the grains are well coated in the butter and olive oil.

Add the white wine and stir gently until almost completely absorbed.

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add a ladleful of warm broth along with the saffron. Continue adding the broth one ladleful at a time, stirring gently and frequently, allowing each addition to be mostly absorbed before adding the next.

Continue cooking until the rice is tender but still retains a slight bite at its center and the risotto is loose and creamy, about 18–20 minutes. You may not need all the broth, or you may need a little more.

Gently fold in the Dungeness crabmeat and cook just long enough to warm it through, about 1-2 minute.

Remove from the heat and stir in the Parmesan and remaining tablespoon of butter. Season with flaked sea salt to taste. If the risotto has become too thick, stir in a little additional warm broth. It should settle softly onto the plate rather than hold its shape.

Spoon into a shallow serving dish or individual bowls and scatter the charred corn generously over the top. Serve immediately.

Olive’s Tip

Risotto is always at its best when served immediately, while the rice is still loose and creamy and slightly firm at the center. If left to stand for too long, it will continue absorbing liquid and become thick and stodgy.

If entertaining, I like to prepare the risotto in advance and finish it just before serving. Cook the rice until it has absorbed a little more than half the broth, then add another 2 ladlesful without stirring it in. Remove the heat and cover. You can leave it this way for up to an hour before returning it to the heat and gradually adding the remaining warm broth. Continue cooking until the rice is perfectly al dente, then finish with the crabmeat, Parmesan and butter as directed.

Wine Pairing

I particularly enjoy serving this risotto with a white Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The wine's generous texture and subtle unctuousness complement the creaminess of the risotto, while its notes of ripe stone fruit, citrus and delicate spice harmonize beautifully with the sweetness of the corn and the aromatic saffron. A gentle mineral and savory character provide a lovely counterpoint to the delicate richness of the Dungeness crab.