Suzi's Blog
Why You, Too, Will Love Corn: I Love Corn the Cookbook
I have blogged a couple of posts here from I Love Corn by Lisa Skye. Today I just want to alert you to the book a little more and give you some idea of the striking recipes it contains.
Corn is something we love but can overlook. It’s just there, like water, as a key food but not something we take with seriousness, well, not with enough seriousness. [Oh, you don’t think you have corn every day? How about corn syrup? It’s inescapably part of the American diet, but it is not prominent.]
I’m guilty of denying corn, too. You grill corn and then serve it with chipotle butter and you think that you have you’ve “done something” with corn. You have, it’s true, but there are far, far more complex things to do with corn.
For example, if you have both corn and some left over rice, you can do a Roasted Corn Goat Cheese Quiche with Brown Rice Crust. No rice? Okay, skip that crust, use a conventional crust but still go for this quiche filled with corn, red peppers, scallions and goat cheese.
Do you want a sensational brunch dish, one that no one will ever forget? The do a Corn and Cherry Tomato Hash with Poached Duck Eggs and Truffle Hollandaise. I would wager that you’ve never had that combination.
Would you like a new comfort food recipe, one to match that meatloaf you often turn to? Then there’s Corn-Poached Halibut with Tomato and Charred Jalapeno Chutney.
For an elevated side dish, you could make a decadently rich Corn Pudding with Bacon and Leeks.
And to complete a corn meal [pun intended], you could make a Blueberry Financier with Corn Bread Streusel and Corn Bread Ice Cream.
Each of these recipes is a culinary journey that will take you far from that simple corn on the cob. So, you have a couple of options. First run out and buy I love Corn by Lisa Skye. Or, and I will keep this promise, you’ll see posts with these recipes [or most of them] over the next month.
Actually, you have three options. You buy the book and read the posts here for reports on how our testing of the recipes flows. From our work so far, we love I Love Corn.
Caramelized Corn with Shallots from I Love Corn
Summer heat and the drought have taken their toll on our farmers and our food supply. Still, there are options to savor the best of summer: fresh corn. To help you really enjoy corn, take a look at I Love Corn by Lisa Skye [published by Andrews McMeel].
Lisa has gathered sixty recipes from great chefs and cookbook authors from around the country to give us chapters on:
- Breakfast [Sweet Corn Waffles, Jalapeno Corn Muffins, …]
- Soups [Sweet Corn Soup, Fresh Corn Gazpacho, …]
- Starters [Corn Ceviche, Roasted Corn Wontons, …]
- Mains [Venison with Corn Cocoa and Chipotle Relish, Corn-Poached Halibut, …]
- Sides [Corn Pudding with Bacon and Leeks, Warm Corn Soufflés, …]
- Sweets [Cornmeal Cake with Honey and Bananas, Strawberry Corn Pone, …]
From the time you rise until you take that last snack, you can enjoy corn. I’m a big fan of corn side dishes which can provide so much contrast and interest to a meal. And, when I see a recipe that says “caramelized” then I perk up.
I made this caramelized corn with a couple of changes. I did not have shallots, so red onions were a fine substitute. And since “caramelized” implies sweetness, I wanted some heat. So I tossed in a diced poblano with the seeds.
To serve this dish, I used the corn husks arranged in a layer on the plate. It is beautiful to see, to photograph, and to devour.
You can obviously scale this recipe up and I suggest you do. Because the next day you can:
- Perk it up with lime juice
- Convert the leftovers into a salsa using some tomato products
- Sparkle up your scrambled eggs for breakfast
In short, great recipe from a fine book.
Caramelized Corn with Shallots
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 4 ears fresh corn, kernels removed, about 3 cups
- 4 large shallots cut into ½-inch slices
- Pinch of granulated sugar
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves plus 1 large sprig for garnish
Preparation:
In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the corn, shallots, sugar, and salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally to prevent burning, until the corn is caramelized, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the thyme and cook for 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper to taste. To serve, garnish with the sprig of thyme
