Rice and Sweet Corn Porridge with Dried Scallops

1. Put the scallops and mushrooms in 2 small separate bowls and cover with water. Let stand at room temperature overnight.

2. In a small saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the corn kernels until just tender, about 2 minutes. Drain.

3. In a large saucepan, combine the chicken broth, corn cobs, chicken thigh, ginger and sliced celery and bring to a simmer. Cover partially and simmer over low heat until the chicken is cooked through, 30 minutes. Strain the broth and reserve the chicken thigh. You should have about 5 1/2 cups of broth.

4. Preheat the oven to 325°. Measure out 1 cup of the broth and reserve. In a 3- to 4-quart casserole or Dutch oven, combine the remaining 4 1/2 cups of broth with the rice and bring to a simmer over moderate heat. Cover and bake for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and a thick porridge has formed.

5. Drain the scallops and transfer to a small saucepan. Add 1/2 cup of the reserved broth and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the scallops to a plate. Remove any membranes, then thickly shred the scallops; cover. Add the tamari to the cooking liquid in the pan and cover.

6. Drain the mushrooms and cut off the knob ends. Cut the mushrooms into 1/2-inch pieces. Remove the meat from the chicken thigh and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Add the chicken, mushrooms, corn, the remaining 1/2 cup of reserved broth, half of the celery leaves and the cheese to the porridge. Season with salt.

7. Spoon the porridge into bowls. Top with a little of the scallop-tamari broth. Scatter the shredded scallop and remaining celery leaves over the porridge and serve.

Notes

Dried scallops and wood ear mushrooms are available at Asian markets.

Suggested Pairing

The many creamy components of this risotto-like dish demand an equally rich white, like Chardonnay.