Corn Broth Quinoa Risotto

To start out, I made a corn broth quinoa risotto, which kicked some frozen veggies, a cup of quinoa, and those corn cobs I tossed in my freezer last summer thinking I would be dying for fresh corn broth at some point this winter. Whatever, Katie. So maybe it’s a bit of a stretch to call it a risotto, but it worked fairly well, I ate the leftovers (always a sign of a good recipe), and it didn’t require any ingredients not already hanging around. The corn broth itself is really interesting (in a good way), and I could see it working as the base for a lot of different recipes. It has a strong corn essence, but not in the sweet way I expected – it’s more of a starchy, nutty corniness. Topped with some fresh parmesan and a sprinkle of lemon juice, this is a quick and light weeknight dinner.

Corn Broth Quinoa Risotto

Serves 2-3.  Original recipe.

• 2/3 c. quinoa
• 1 c. corn broth (recipe below) or vegetable broth
• 2/3 c. dry white wine
• 1 TBS butter
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2/3 c. frozen corn and peas
• 1/2 c. packed grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
• 1/2 lemon, for dressing
• salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat.  Sautee onion in butter for 3-4 minutes, then add minced garlic and cook for a minute longer.  Add quinoa to pan and toast, stirring frequently, for another 3-4 minutes.  Add corn broth, bring mixture to a simmer, and allow to cook for 8 minutes, until most of the broth is absorbed.  Add wine and continue to cook quinoa, stirring frequently, until all of the liquid is absorbed and the quinoa is tender (the “tails” will unfurl when the quinoa is done).
2. Add the frozen vegetables and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheese until fully melted.  Serve warm with extra parmesan or feta, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper.

Corn Broth

Makes about 4 cups

• 6 ears of corn, kernels removed and used elsewhere
• 8 c. water
• several sprigs of fresh herbs – I used rosemary
• salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large stockpot, place corn cobs and water and bring to a boil.  Water should fully cover cobs – add more than 8 c. if necessary.  Add herbs and reduce heat to bring stock to a simmer.  Cook for about an hour, checking and stirring frequently, until the stock has a translucent yellow color and a corny flavor.  Remove from heat and strain into a clean container.  If desired, cook stock down further to intensify flavor.  Once flavor is as desired, season with salt and pepper.  Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 4-5 days, or the freezer indefinitely.