Bacon, shrimp & corn risotto

I start work on Monday…yikes! I’m sad that the cooking will significantly slow down. I’m sad that I have to leave my gorgeous Chicago kitchen and possibly settle for an electric stove in San Francisco. I’m sad to leave warm summers but happy that I’m done with brutally cold winters. I’m happy that I’ll be close to family again and can run outside year round. And I’m happy that I will have a real paycheck for the first time in two years and will be able to afford good sushi again!

Because we are planning a big move, I am still trying to eat through the pantry (very successfully, I must say!). The other day, I made a rice noodles with miso broth, red chard and leftover fish (pictured below, from my birthday at Otom). For another meal, I made jap chae with vegetables I had in the fridge, shrimp from the freezer and sauces and condiments on hand.

My birthday dinner: fried fish @ Otom

Yesterday, a survey of the pantry and fridge dictated that I make risotto. I had a few ears of corn, half a white onion, several containers of chicken broth, a few slugs of sake, half a box of arborio rice, a small handful of long grain white rice and a two pound bag of frozen shrimp. I was light on the bacon and only used three slices because I thought it might be too salty with the pre-made chicken broth, but I would probably double the bacon in the future.

Ingredients for risotto

Stirred in the corn at the last minute but threw the cobs into the simmering broth for extra flavor

I don’t have any nicely plated pictures because I think I got sand in my SLR while in Namibia and now the flash is malfunctioning. I’ll get it fixed at some point when I get back to San Francisco…don’t feel like dealing with it now!