You've got to be feeling some serious pressure tight now, don't you? Summer is winding down...actually over officially two hours ago (and still 90 freakish degrees here in Portland!)...and that means the bounty that is filling farmer's market stalls and bursting out of gardens everywhere is coming to a close. That's why when w and I were at the Montavilla 
Farmer's Market last Sunday I had to grab some gorgeous ears of corn, and that was after a customer at VINO stopped by Saturday and bestowed upon me a few choice hunks of white chanterelle mushrooms (!!!) he had just picked that morning. Customers who bring me things....am I lucky or what?!? I immediately thought risotto when I saw the mushrooms, then the thought of adding the brilliant yellow corn, some fiery flashes of red from some chopped padron peppers from my garden (those are the lovely 3" beauties at right), and of course pancetta because everything's better with cured pork! That was pretty much all it took to make one of the best risotto I've had all summer, the corn kernels popping in our mouths, the earthy forest taste of the mushrooms, their sweet/rich flavors set off against the spice from the peppers. Late summer/early fall comfort has never felt better!*** *** *** *** ***
Fresh Corn & Wild Mushroom Risotto
an E.D.T. Original
ingredients:
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
5 oz pancetta chopped in a 1/4" dice
1 pound wild mushrooms- chanterelles, shiitakes, etc., chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped padron pepper, or other medium-hot red pepper, with seeds removed
2 cups fresh corn kernels, cut off of two or three ears
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup onion finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
48 oz chicken broth or stock,
1 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Salt and freshly ground pepper
method:
1- In medium saucepan heat chicken broth until simmering. While stock is heating in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat add two tablespoons oil. Add diced pancetta and cook until slightly crisp, about 8-10 minutes. When cooked remove pancetta with slotted spoon and set aside. Pour off excess fat, leaving two tablespoons in skillet. Add chopped mushrooms and sauté for about 8 minutes until softened. Add chopped pepper, pancetta, and corn and sauté for another minute or two. Remove skillet from heat.
the mushroom/corn/pepper/pancetta mixture2- in medium (3-4 qt.) sauce pan, add remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons butter and heat over medium heat until foaming. Add onions and sauté for 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for another minute. Add rice and stir for 1 minute until all the rice is well coated. Pour in 1/2 cup of wine and stir until almost all of it is absorbed. Add broth/stock to rice (about 3/4 cup at a time) stirring constantly. Let each ladling of broth be almost absorbed until adding another. Keep ladling and stirring until rice is soft outside but with a slight crunch in the middle, about 20 minutes. When rice is almost done, reheat corn/mushroom mixture. When rice is done, add corn/mushrooms and stir to combine. Add 1/2 cup of cheese and combine well. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Serve immediately.
