Corn Ribs are the Bomb!

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Need a way to impress your loved ones? July is peak corn time around here, and this is a really cool way to prepare fresh corn. I learned this recipe during my time at Ottolenghi in London, but I never tried it before. It’s not difficult to do, but takes a sharp knife, a strong arm, and a willingness to deep fry.

You can flavor these in a variety of wild ways or keep them classic with butter and salt. I chose to do a Mexican-street-food thing and tossed the corn in a lime-chipotle aioli, grated Parmesan cheese and cilantro. You didn't know Parmesan was Mexican? Okay, okay, I took a little liberty. The most important thing is to be careful when cutting, and make sure to first cut a flat surface on each end so the cob stands straight. No ingredients listed becasue it’s all about the corn!

  

 

Procedure
Remove the husk and silk from the corn, rinse and dry. Cut a flat surface on each end so they stand tall and straight. With a sharp knife, cut through the center of the cob (I used a slight rocking motion to help the knife cut through the tough cob). Then place the flat side down on your cutting board and cut each half again so you now have corn cob quarters. That’s it, you’ve done the hard part!

Put a pot of oil on high heat, or turn on a deep fat fryer, and get your oil to 350 degrees. Fry about 6 pieces at a time for 3-4 minutes or until the corn lightly browns and curls. Don’t crowd them in the oil! Remove and drain briefly on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. While still hot, toss with flavorings.

Some flavoring ideas
Sauces: lime-chipotle aioli, hot sauce, lemon-garlic mayo, sauce verte.
Cheeses: Parmesan, feta, cotija, herbed goat.
Fresh herbs: parsley, cilantro, tarragon, dill.

Make sure to supply lots of napkins, these can be a bit messy, as it’s finger food. And please don’t eat the cobs!

 

Corn on the Cob

Excellent Ingredient of the Week
Yes, good old corn — you can eat it a million different ways. Elote is the Mexican name for corn on the cob. Corn on the cob is a popular street food in Mexico, although they are frequently served at home prepared in the same way. In Mexico, Chicago, and the southern U.S., it is customary to consume elotes on a stick, or by grasping the husk of the cob that has been pulled down to make a kind of handle. Condiments such as salt, chili powder, butter, cheese, lemon juice or lime juice, mayonnaise, and sour cream (or crema) are usually added to the elote. Lemon pepper seasoning is popular as a condiment in Texas. I used to buy Mexican corn on a stick from the cart that came down my street in Chicago — same cart did mango on a stick in summer time... mmmm... Anyway, getting back to corn, I think grilling is the best but here is an interesting alternative... deep-fried, battered corn on the cob!

Ingredients
Oil for deep frying
3/4 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup flour
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons oil
1 egg
peeled and cleaned corn on the cob
1 cup crushed cornflake crumbs

Procedure
In deep fat fryer or heavy saucepan, heat oil to 375°F. In medium bowl, combine cornmeal, Parmesan cheese, flour, garlic salt, milk, oil and egg; mix well. Dip corn-on-the-cob ears into cornmeal batter to coat; roll in cornflake crumbs. Fry in hot oil 2 to 3 minutes or until light golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve immediately.

Some things you can flavor your corn with besides Parmesan cheese are: curry powder; goat cheese; chipotle; a little maple syrup; some cumin... need I go on? Of course, you can just boil them in water with some milk and a little sugar for about 7 minutes which is pretty hard to beat. The important thing to remember about corn is the sooner you cook it after you buy it, the better it will be.

Buttermilk Corn Soup with Curry and Mint

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
This is an unusual recipe from Food 52 for a soup which was originally served warm — but I think it's also delicious chilled.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 shallot, chopped
2 cups yellow corn kernels
2 cups vegetable stock
1 teaspoon dried mint
1/2 teaspoon hot curry
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon fresh mint, chopped
salt & pepper to taste
creme fraiche to garnish

Procedure
In a heavy saucepan sauté shallot in butter until translucent (approximately 5-7 minutes). Add corn and mix to coat corn with shallots and butter. Add vegetable stock and simmer for about 20 minutes. Add dried mint, curry, coriander and cumin. Let simmer to allow flavors to blend. Blend using an immersion wand. Add buttermilk, fresh mint and salt & pepper to taste. Simmer for about 30 minutes on low heat. Garnish with a dollop of crème fraiche and serve. This recipe serves 4.

Smoked Corn and Goat Cheese Bocaditos

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
This is a show-stopper with great southwestern flavors. Great to keep in the freezer for a last-minute cocktail party or just a treat for yourself.

Ingredients
2 cups fresh corn off the cob
1/2 cup goat cheese (try New Mexican )
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon Chimayo red chile powder
1 pack wonton wrappers
1/2 cup water mixed with one egg
oil for deep frying

Procedure
Smoke the corn over apple wood chips in your grill or in a stovetop smoker for 5 minutes. In a medium bowl, mix the corn with the rest of the ingredients except the egg wash and wrappers. Taste and adjust seasoning — it should be strongly seasoned as each wrapper will only hold a tiny bit. To assemble, place 4 wrappers on the table and brush edges with egg wash. Bring the points to the center and then roll up to create a tight little package. At this point you can deep fry or freeze til later.

Chipolte Corn Fritters

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Talk about your easy, cheap, yummy hors d'oeuvres!

Ingredients
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 teaspoon chipolte powder (or 1 fresh jalapeno, diced)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon melted butter
12 ounces corn

Procedure
In a medium bowl, mix flour, powder, salt, sugars, onion powder, chile, and garlic. In a separate bowl, combine egg, buttermilk and butter. Mix wet and dry together then add corn. Drop fritters batter by the spoonful into hot oil and fry till golden. Drain on paper towels. Dipping sauce optional, but I was thinking maybe a lime cilantro aioli, or a maple ancho butter?

Corncakes a la Douglas Dinnette

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Pancakes are good, but they can be a bit heavy. Corn bread is good but I would never cover it with maple syrup. So here is something sort of in the middle. I have not seen it served anywhere but my favorite little dinner in Douglas Michigan called the Douglas Dinette. The owner Margaret gave this recipe to me. I hope she is still there and I hope this place is still in business. She called them simply corncakes. The original recipe was for 1 gallon of batter so it might take a little tweaking to get the texture just right as well as adding in the altitude thing, so don’t be afraid to play with it to get the batter to the right texture — which should be like a crepe batter.

Ingredients
4 eggs
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cups water
2 cups milk
2 cups cornmeal
1 cup buttermilk pancake mix (to slightly thicken batter)
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure
Combine all ingredients and let batter sit 30 minutes. It needs to be slightly runny because it will thicken as the cornmeal absorbs liquid. Lightly oil a flattop or flat grill and get it real hot, this batter should sizzle as it hits the grill. Ladle on the batter, it should run into a very thin circle. Cook until it gets nice and brown on the bottom and then flip over. You want the edges to get dark brown. If they are big, like Margaret did them, she folded them onto the plate in quarters like a crepe and served them with butter and warm syrup. Sometimes the simple things in life are the best.

Old Style Diner Corn Muffin

The Altitude Adjustment Section
This is a recipe for old style east coast diner corn muffin. More sweet and cakey than a regular muffin, they would cut these in half and slather with butter and throw on the grill where it would pick up the faint smell of grilled bacon. Yum! I had forgotten about these until I saw a thread on Chowhound, which reminded me how much I loved them.

Ingredients
1-1/4 cups yellow cornmeal
1-cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 cup vegetable oil

Procedure
In a bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, sugars, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, beat egg, buttermilk and oil; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill a greased or paper-lined 12-cup muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack. Yield: 1 dozen.

Cornmeal Crepes

Low-Cal But Still Lovely
Crepes: they sound fancy but what are they just really thin pancakes, full of great stuff! So here is a recipe for a lovely cornmeal crepe which you can make ahead of time and store in your freezer until company comes! You can dazzle your guests with your culinary skills while not killing your weight control.

Ingredients
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
pinch salt
1 whole egg plus 2 egg whites
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 cup low fat buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon honey
Pinch ground Mace
2 teaspoons canola oil

Procedure
Throw all the ingredients into the blender and mix for one minute. Refrigerate batter for 1 hour before using. Warm your 6-inch non-stick sauté pan and spray with canola oil. Pour a small ladle full of batter into pan and swirl around to coat the bottom. Cook for about 1 minute and then flip over and cook the other side 30 seconds. Put onto a lined sheet pan and continue. You should get about 12-14 crepes. Once cool, you can wrap and freeze them. Some suggested fillings: cider baked apple slices; low fat cream cheese and sugar free jam; Greek yogurt and strawberries; southwestern died chicken; and grilled veggies.

How to Make a Great Chopped Salad

Low-Cal But Still Lovely
One of the things I have been into more and more these days are chopped salads. They are easy to eat, low in calories, and beautiful to look at. And remember the old saying “food must be a feast for the eyes as well as the stomach.” So, I have started creating these elaborate salads and I have some suggestions. My favorite ingredient is grilled corn. You can do it on the grill or in a hot dry sauté pan.

To do it on the grill, clean off the husk and silk and rub it with a little olive oil salt and pepper. Grill it for about 5 minutes and turn over and cook it some more till you see blackened bits and hear some popping sound. Then bring it into the kitchen and cut the kernels off the husk and let cool.

To roast corn in a sauté pan, cut the raw corn off the husk. Then heat your non-stick sauté pan very hot and throw in the corn with a little salt and pepper and ground cumin. Shake pan so it does not stick and cook 5 minutes until it smells really good.

Okay, so now you have the corn. To this I add chopped red onion, chopped tomato, fresh cilantro, arugula, diced apple shredded carrot and jicama, red and green pepper. Then to dress I just use lime juice and rice wine vinegar, salt and pepper. If you have the points add some avocado or olives. No oil necessary. It’s delicious! Try it!

Southwestern Cobb Salad with Lime Smoked Paprika Vinaigrette

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Here is a great salad you can do ahead and enjoy on the porch during those balmy summer nights. If you are not a meat-eater substitute smoked tofu for the turkey, but there is no real substitute for bacon, even vegetarians admit that!

Ingredients for 2 large salads
3 cups crisp romaine, washed and torn
2 ears grilled corn, rubbed with olive oil, salt, pepper, and cumin, cut off the cob
1 cup Maytag blue cheese or buttermilk blue, crumbled
6 slices Applewood smoked bacon, cooked and diced
6 ounces Smoked turkey, diced
1 cup Smoked grape tomatoes
1/2 cup thin sliced red onions, boiled in rice wine vinegar, salt and sugar to cover, till tender then drain
1 diced avocado, drizzled with lime juice

Ingredients for dressing
2 tablespoons Dijon
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/8 teaspoon lime oil
1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
Salt and pepper
2 shakes Tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 cups olive oil

Procedure for dressing
Put everything but oil in blender. Add oil slowly through the top till thick and emulsified.

Now finish salad — arrange all the beautiful ingredients on top of the greens and dress right before serving.

Sweet and Sour Corn Relish

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Spring is finally here, and that means BBQ season. We cook outside all year. Yes, we cheat and have a gas grill, but it's so damn convenient and sometimes we throw on some apple wood for that smokey flavor. My friend Rick says you have to use charcoal and a Weber, whatever, the important thing is it tastes good. Besides the main course, which ends up on the grill, I like the side dishes, which go with outdoor cooking. I thought we would start the season with a real oldie but goodie, Sweet and sour corn relish. To make this worth eating you must use fresh corn.

Ingredients
5 ears fresh corn
1 1/2 cups chopped red onion
1 cup diced red pepper
3 cups white wine vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon celery seeds
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped black pepper

Procedure
Start by carefully cutting the kernels off the cob. Now just combine all the ingredients into a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Then reduce heat and simmer till mixture thickens slightly, about 45 minutes. This will keep in the fridge for 1 week or you can put it into sterilized jars. This makes 6 cups. Great with Burgers!

Southwestern Corn Pudding

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
This recipe has all the best flavors of Santa Fe. It's a big recipe, but you can cut it in half with ease.

Ingredients
1 onion, diced
1 red and 1 green pepper, diced
1 Jalapeno, seeded and diced
5 slices bacon, diced
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon ground chipotle powder
4 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic diced
8 cups half-and-half
12 eggs
1 cup A.P. flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup melted butter
3 tablespoons sugar
9 cups corn
1 pound shredded Monterey jack cheese

Procedure
Saute bacon, onions, peppers, garlic in a frying pan. Add salt and pepper. In a large bowl, whisk together half-and-half, eggs, flour, baking powder, melted butter, and sugar. Pulse half the corn in the food processor till lightly pureed. Combine all the corn with the sauteed vegetables and the egg mix. Add the grated cheese and break up with your fingers. Pour mixture into large casserole, which has been lightly buttered. Cover loosely with tin foil (it will puff up) and bake in a 350 oven for 45 minutes. Uncover and finish cooking till jiggly but not liquid in the center, around 15 -20 minutes more. Can also be made in individual ramekins, which take about 20 minutes to bake.