Summery Corn Risotto with a Dash of Pancetta & Fennel

Why eat carbs with carbs, like rice with corn?  Or pizza with potato?  Because who's really counting if it tastes good?  Sweet corn, even local, is around early in the Summer now, and when it's good I walk an ever thinner line of under cooking so as not to mess with it, just something so I can say it's not completely raw.  Here it's just barely altered at the end of the risotto cooking process, staying crunchy and accented by the familiar flavor of butter, like the stick of which I used to roll ears in growing up.  

The addition of the sauteed fennel and pancetta is optional...what I like is that anise complexity of fennel quickly sauteed yet still sort of crunchy, and the porcine salinity of unsmoked pancetta.  I think they play well off the buttery, sweet corn and the creamy rice. 

You don't necessarily need a rich broth or stock with which to craft fine risotto, water itself is a perfectly good vehicle.  When I made this I had a rind of parm leftover, so I put it in my simmering water shortly before I began the risotto process, to good effect. 

2 cups Carnaroli, Vialone Nano or Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

2 ears of sweet corn, kernels cut off

1 head of fennel, medium diced

1/4 lb. pancetta, medium diced

1 liter water or stock

optional: Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano rind to flavor broth

1 small onion, finely diced

Salt and Pepper to taste

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 for the pancetta and fennel

2-3 tablespoons butter cut into 1/2 inch or so cubes

Parmigiano Reggiano to taste

Handful of fresh parsley, roughly chopped

Bring the water (rind or not) or stock to a boil, then let it simmer.  Season, if need be, so it's very mildly salty. 

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a saute pan, and add the pancetta while the pan is still heating up.  Allow the pancetta to render some of its fat and when it begins to brown, add the fennel and raise the heat to high.  Cook, tossing or mixing occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until the fennel has taken on some color and is soft but not mushy, and the pancetta slightly crispy.  Remove from heat and set aside. 

Heat the remaining olive oil over medium heat and when it shimmers add the onion, sweating for a couple minutes until translucent, then add the rice.  Cook it, stirring frequently, until it begins to brown ever so slightly, mindful not to let the onions burn.  At this point add the wine, letting it almost completely dissolve, then begin adding ladles of broth to just cover the rice.  Stir or shake the pan occasionally, adding more liquid when it looks like it needs it. 

Check for doneness at around 20 minutes, and assuming it's close, add the raw corn kernels to the risotto.  When the rice is pleasantly al dente, turn off the heat and stir the butter in.  Begin grating the Parmigiano in and taste it after a few tablespoons' worth to see if it's to your liking.  The risotto at this point should be creamy and not too dry.  Add a little broth if it seems too tight.  Season to taste with salt and pepper and add the parsley. 

Serve the risotto with some of the fennel and pancetta on top, allowing diners to mix it in themselves.  Serve with extra Parmigiano Reggiano to garnish.