We all love a cozy comfort meal, but you can get that same down-home feeling in an elevated dish suitable for special guests. At least, that’s the mindset behind the Carolina gold rice risotto served at Michelin-starred restaurant Le Jardinier in New York City.

“When I was a kid, I loved eating dishes that were rich and cheesy, like mac n cheese or fettuccine alfredo,” says executive chef Andrew Ayala. “This dish is nostalgic to me and reminds me of the levity of childhood, but is presented in an elevated version.”

Le Jardinier serves vegetable-centric dishes using hyper-local ingredients in seasonal rotation, and the recipe below is perfect for any cozy fall evening.

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“The end result is heavenly,” chef adds. “A little tip from us that we like to use to help break the richness and give the dish some acid are pickled mild chilis, like Fresno chilis or Jimmy Nardello peppers, which are currently in season and easy to find. They are available in most grocery stores and our favorite farmers market in Union Square. They don’t come pickled; that’s something you’d have to do yourself and can be done ahead of time. We like to toast our rice so they don’t stick when cooking.”

This dish is hearty, beautiful to look at and sure to impress your family and friends—but it’s really not that difficult to recreate! Choose top-tier ingredients and let them shine through. You’re going to love it.

Carolina Gold Rice Risotto

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup Carolina gold rice
• 2 each shallots chopped
• 2 each bay leaf
• 1 sprig thyme
• 1 qt corn stock
• ½ cup white wine
• Salt to taste
• ½ cup Mimolette grated cheese (parmesan is fine also)
• ½ cup corn puree
• 4 tbsp grilled corn
• 2 tbsp mascarpone

Tools:

• Medium size pot
• Wooden spoon (rubber is fine, too)

Directions:

1. Peel your corn, and using a knife, remove the corn from the cob.
2. Don’t throw away the cobs, as you can use them to make your corn stock.
3. Using a small pot, bring up the medium heat and add grapeseed oil.
4. Sweat the shallots until translucent, no color.
5. Add your rice and toast until it becomes glossy.
6. Add white wine and cook until dry.
7. Once the wine is gone, add thyme and corn stock to the rice in thirds. Don’t place all the corn stock at once.
8. When the stock is gone, add your corn puree.
9. When your rice is al dente, add some corn puree and stir for about a minute until everything is very hot.
10. Take off the heat and add some butter, grated mimolette cheese, grilled corn and a little mascarpone.
11. Give it a good stir off the heat to avoid the mixture breaking.
12. Plate and sprinkle with some fresh herbs like chervil, tarragon and chives.
13. Add more corn and grated parmesan over the top.

Visit Le Jardinier in NYC and online for more delicious dishes and inspiration.