green chile corn pudding.

I'm in a bit of a food blog rut.  Or maybe it's just that I need a vacation.  I'm not sure which it is to be honest.  It's not that I haven't been cooking, I have been, a lot, but sometimes I don't see the point of photographing everything and finding new ways to say how utterly amazing a dish is.  Sometimes I make something incredibly satisfying but it's too dark out to get a picture or the pictures are bad or I just don't know what to say beyond "THIS IS REALLY GOOD" and I ask myself if it's even worth blogging about it.  I look at other food blogs that feel like actually works of art and I wonder how the hell these people have time to produce such stunning images and write detailed accounts of a life that sounds far more perfect then mine.

Having a blog is exhausting.  You give so much of yourself and you wonder what it is that you are getting back in return.   When I started this I never had a clear end goal.  It was just supposed to be a creative outlet.   A place to document everything.  But if it no longer brings joy is it worth it? Yesterday I gave up an 30 minutes of sitting outside in the sun drinking a beer to go inside to photograph food.  I'm not sure if that's a good use of my time.

Tyler and I leave on Friday evening for a Pacific Northwest roadtrip and I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am.  I think a change of scenery, exploring some new cities, walking around with no formal destination, and trying new restaurants will be restorative.  It will hopefully reignite my passion for cooking (vacations and trying new things tend to do that).

But until I jet off across the US, let's talk about corn pudding.  Specifically this Tex-Mex version or corn pudding which is like the summer version of mac and cheese.  Mac and cheese, as much as I love it, is not something I enjoy eating on 90 degree August days.  But corn nestled in a cornmeal custard base with chopped poblanos and just enough cheese to make it feel indulgent?  That I can get behind.  The leftovers are utterly amazing for breakfast the next day - especially if you put an egg (and some avocado) on it.  

Green Chile Corn Pudding
Recipe adapted (barely) from the Homesick Texan

3 Hatch, Anaheim, or Poblano chiles
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 ears of corn, kernels removed or 2 cups fresh corn kernels
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus more for garnishing
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch of cayenne
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack or pepper Jack cheese
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs, beaten
1 cup half and half

Roast the Hatch, Anaheim, or Poblano chiles under the broiler until blackened, about 5 minutes per side. Place the chiles in a paper sack or plastic food-storage bag, close it tight and let the chiles steam for 20 minutes. After the chiles have steamed, remove from the bag and rub off the skin. Remove the stems and seeds from the chiles and dice.

When the chiles are ready, preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a large ovenproof skillet, preferably a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, on low heat melt the butter. (If you don’t have an ovenproof skillet, lightly grease a 9-inch square-baking dish for the pudding, and melt the butter in a saucepan.) Once the butter has melted, turn off the heat and swirl the butter around the base of the skillet and the sides to lightly grease it.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the diced chiles, corn, garlic, cilantro, salt, cumin, cayenne, melted butter, and 1/2 cup of the Monterey Jack cheese. Taste and adjust seasonings. Stir in the cornmeal and baking powder. Whisk together the eggs and half and half, and then pour them over the corn. Stir until everything is well combined.

Pour the corn mixture back into the skillet (or a baking dish if using that instead) and sprinkle evenly over the top the rest of the cheese. Bake uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned and the custard is set. (The color may be a little lighter in the center, but that’s okay.) Allow the pudding to rest int the skillet for 15 minutes. Garnish with cilantro before serving. 

corn on the cob with miso-honey butter.

I'm going to go out on a limb and say there is no food more quintessentially summer then corn on the cob (especially corn on the cob dripping in salted butter).

(I will give you 5 minutes to try and think of another.  I guarantee you will loose this game.)

But corn on the cob with plain old butter is old news.  There is a new preparation in town that is even better.

Miso-honey butter.
(Yes, you read that right.)

Miso is my addiction.  It makes everything better.  Something about that salty bite and it's umami flavor is un-paralleled.  It elevates everything it comes into contact with.  And when it comes into contact with corn?  The flavor has me practically weeping.  Here I mix softened butter with just enough miso to provide a nice salty bite. The addition of honey (in particular Mike's Hot Honey which in addition to miso is my other addiction) provides the perfect hint of sweetness and spice.  Slathered on hot corn?   There is nothing better. (This is my new summer staple.)



Miso-Honey Butter

Makes a generous 2 tablespoons of butter.  

2 tablespoons softened butter
2 teaspoons white miso
1 1/2 teaspoons Mikes Hot Honey (or use regular honey and the smallest pinch of cayenne)

In a small bowl mix butter, miso, honey until combined.  

Slather on anything and everything (especially grilled corn).  

Can be stored in the fridge for many days if need be.   

 

corn risotto-stuffed poblanos.

I've been on a bit of a decluttering frenzy over the past couple of weeks.  Cabinets that I have not seen the back of in months solely because they are filled to the brim with half-finished bags of 6 different types of rice are finally seeing the light of day.  I'm trying to teach myself to use the items I have on hand instead of procuring new items all the time.  It's going to take me awhile to have such behavior feel instinctual but eventually I'll get there.  

This recipe was finally tackled after I realized that I had 5/6 of the ingredients on hand, it would help me finish some of my almost empty bags of rice, and in making it I could finally cross it off my list of recipes I have to try where it has been languishing for over a year now (in my defense it's a very long list that is ever expanding).  This is exactly the kind of thing you should be making right now when we are in the throws of March and that weird in-between time where it isn't quite winter and it isn't quite spring.  It's fresh tasting (corn! peppers! cilantro!) yet the kind of thing your body gravitates towards this time of year (namely starchy comfort food with some cheese thrown in for good measure).  It's incredibly satisfying and utterly filling for both vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike and did I mention it reheats brilliantly? It does which is why the leftovers make the perfect next day lunch. If you're smarter then me you wont wait a year to make this.  

Corn Risotto-Stuffed Poblanos
Recipe adapted from The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perelman

This is the kind of the thing that begs to be made on a Sunday afternoon.  You have dinner for that evening and enough leftovers for lunch the next day!

Serves 4 generously (This also halves easily.) 

8 large fresh poblano peppers
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups short-grained rice, such as arborio or carnaroli
¾ cup beer, preferably light or medium in color
2 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 2 large size cobs or you can use frozen corn as I did)
¾ - 1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese
½ teaspoon table salt
Freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ cup crumbled queso fresco, ricotta salata, or another crumbly cheese
3 tablespoons sour cream mixed with 1 Tablespoon milk and a pinch of salt, for serving
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Prepare peppers: Lay several chiles at a time on their sides on the racks atop a gas burner, and turn the flame to high.  Using tongs, rotate the chiles frequently until their skins are blistered, about 4 to 6 minutes each. Transfer the peppers to a bowl, and cover them with foil or plastic wrap.  Repeat with the remaining chiles. Should you not have a gas burner, you can do this under a broiler. Or you can skip this step altogether if the pepper skins don't bother you.

Make risotto: In a medium saucepan, heat the stock to a low simmer.  On a separate burner, heat a larger saucepan over medium heat.  Once the saucepan is hot, add the oil and heat through; then add the onion, and sauté until it is softened and translucent, about 8 minutes.  Add the garlic, and cook for 1 minute more. Add the rice to the pot, and stir it for a minute or two, until it becomes slightly toasty.  Pour in the beer, scraping up any stuck bits from the bottom of the pan.  Let beer simmer for roughly a minute -- it will mostly disappear.

Ladle 1 cup of warm stock into rice mixture, and simmer until it has been absorbed, stirring frequently.  Add the remaining stock, ½ cup at a time, allowing stock to absorb before adding more, and stirring often.  Along with the final addition of stock, add the corn. The total cooking time for the rice is about 30 minutes, after which it should be creamy and tender.  Though risotto is traditionally supposed to be on the loose side, you can leave this one ever-so-slightly thicker, so it can be easily stuffed into peppers.  Once the stock is added and the risotto is tender, stir in the Monterey Jack cheese, the salt, many grinds of black pepper, the paprika, and the chile powder.  Adjust seasonings to taste.  Remove risotto from the heat.

Assemble and cook poblanos: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  Remove chiles from bowl, and gently (very carefully my peppers were very tender) rub off the skins, which should now remove easily.  Cut a slit lengthwise in each chile, and remove the seeds and membranes as best you can.  Leave the stems on -- they're cute.  Fill each chile with risotto through the slit.  Arrange the chiles tightly in a baking dish, and sprinkle with crumbled cheese.  Bake the chiles for 10 to 15 minutes, until bronzed a bit on top.

To serve: In a small dish, whisk together the sour cream mixed with milk and salt.  Drizzle the mixture over hot chiles.  Garnish with cilantro.  Eat them while they're hot.

sweet corn ice cream.

There is something to be said for living in the suburbs (or in Upstate New York which the boy and I are currently fantasizing about moving to for the weekends).  The suburbs allow for space.  Outdoor space for a garden, indoor space for an actual dining room table (yes we are those people who eat Indian style on the floor until I find stools that fulfill all my fantasies), space for gadgets and gizmos that are unwieldy when you live in a shoebox sized but are completely necessary when you have a kitchen with more than 2 cabinets.  If we ever find ourselves in a place like that you can pretty much guarantee an ice cream maker will be purchased.  Yes it’s a novelty item but it’s such a fun one that it almost becomes practical.  My parents are blessed with space (even though they may tell you differently) which is why they possess a sausage maker, 4 different sized spring form pans, 3 different sets of dinner plates, and an ice cream maker. 

The last time I was home, I put the ice cream maker to use in an effort to tackle corn ice cream which I have been dreaming about since I had it a few summer’s ago at The Bent Spoon.  Corn ice cream which probably sounds absurdly yucky to some is amazing to me.  Its sweet and clean with an amazing creamy flavor.  It pairs beautifully with fruit especially berries which makes this an excellent end of summer dessert.  

Sweet Corn Ice Cream

Recipe via Melissa Clark at the NYTimes

Melissa serves this with a blackberry sauce.  I served mine with a cherry sauce that my awesome mom made.  Any fruit sauce would be incredible here as would homemade marshmallow crème (or maybe that’s just me…).  They key for this is the best corn possible.  Sweet farmers market corn is the (only) way to go. 

Makes 1 ½ pints

40 minutes, plus at least 5 hours’ standing, chilling and freezing

4 ears fresh corn, shucked

1 1/2 cups milk

2 cups heavy cream

165 grams granulated sugar (about ¾ cup)

6 large egg yolks

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 cup sour cream

Using a large knife, slice the kernels off the corn cobs and place in a large saucepan. Break cobs in half and add to pot along with milk, cream and 110 grams (1/2 cup) sugar. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring, then remove from heat. Let stand to infuse for 1 hour, then discard corn cobs.

Using an immersion or regular blender, purée kernel mixture. Return mixture to a simmer, then turn off heat. In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks, 1/8 teaspoon salt and another 55 grams ( 1/4 cup) of sugar. Add a cup of hot cream mixture to yolks, stirring constantly so they don’t curdle. Add yolk mixture to saucepan, stirring. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until custard thickens enough to coat the spoon, about 10 minutes.

Pass custard through a fine sieve, pressing down hard on the solids. Discard solids. Whisk in sour cream until smooth. Let custard cool in an ice bath, then cover and chill for at least 4 hours.

arepas.

I have vivid childhood memories of eating corn pancakes for dinner.  I don’t know why this particular food conjures up such a bold memory, perhaps it’s because there is a certain novelty to eating something doused in maple syrup for dinner but come summertime, I can’t get that memory out of my head.  I have yet to tackle my own version of corn pancakes, mostly because there are certain foods that are tied to such specific memories and feelings, it’s hard to imagine that a homemade version made by anyone but my mother would be capable of fulfilling any of my cravings.  At some point here I will finally bite the bullet and attempt it (I have visions of corn pancakes and thick slices of bacon served on a rainy summer evening – the kind of thing best eaten in pj’s with someone you love), but until that happens I will settle for a variation of the theme.  These are Arepas according to Mark Bittman, and while I don’t know if I would fully agree with that name, I definitely agree with the flavor of the dish.  This is a comforting dish of corn and cheese encased in the thinnest of pancake like batters.  I like to serve it with slices of avocado and a generous pour of homemade roasted tomatillo salsa which makes for a fun riff on the traditional pancake dinner. 

Arepas

Recipe adapted from Mark Bittman on the NYTimes

Serves 2

1  cup cornmeal

¾ cup corn kernels (about 1 ear)

1 egg

1 cup milk

1 cup cheddar

Salt and pepper to taste

Butter or oil for greasing the pan

Accompaniments: Sliced jalapenos, sliced avocado, tomatillo salsa, hot sauce

Combine the cornmeal , corn kernels, and cheddar in a bowl.  Beat the egg with the milk.  Pour the milk and egg mixture over the cornmeal mixture and stir to combine.   Season with salt and pepper.  (Batter will be thin!). 

Heat a frying pan over medium high heat.  Grease the pan with the butter or oil.  Drop heaping spoonfuls of the batter on the pan (like you would pancakes).  Cook for 1 -2 minutes until cooked and golden brown, flip the pancake over and cook the other side for another minute.  Remove from the pan and repeat with the remaining batter.  Top the pancakes with the accompaniments of your choice.    

corn pizza with bacon.

Last year when I wrote about corn pizza, I imagined that would be the only recipe for corn pizza on the blog because really, how many recipes can there possibly be for corn pizza.  There is only so much wheel reinvention that can happen between corn and crust.   But I was wrong!  Oh, how wrong I was because there is a whole other world of corn pizza that I didn’t tackle and I only just realized that after reading my latest cookbook acquisition I Heart New York.   Corn puree.  Actually it’s a corn puree and mascarpone and it really is the most wonderful tasting thing.  A little sweet, a little tangy, a whole lot of creamy, and very addicting (it may have been consumed by the spoonful which I am not in the slight bit embarrassed to admit).  This corn puree is generously applied to the crust where it stands in as a sauce (oh it’s such a good sauce).  It’s topped with cubes of rich, smoky bacon, a handful of sweet corn kernels, and when it emerges from the oven a (healthy) sprinkle of aged raw milk cheddar.  It is absurdly amazing with a pure sweet corn taste that marries beautifully with the salty cheese and bacon.  I won’t say it’s better or worse than my previous corn pizza recipe (you can’t expect me to play favorites) but I plan on making it again this weekend if that’s any indication of how I feel.

Corn Pizza with Bacon

Recipe adapted from I Love New York By Daniel Humm and Will Guidara

The cookbook suggests making this on the grill but my grill situation was not up to snuff so I can't advise on that. I plan on remaking it on the grill when I am home at my parents next week (FYI Mom and Dad!) so I can report back on that then! Below are the instructions for cooking this in the oven which works absurdly well.  

Makes 4 pizzas

1 batch of my favorite pizza dough

Corn pudding (recipe below)

1/4 cup mascarpone

1 cup fresh corn kernels (from 1 ear of corn)

1/2 cup diced (1/8 inch) uncooked bacon

Red chile flakes

4 ounces grated raw cow milk cheddar (or something similar - I found mine at Whole Foods)

Basil for topping if you choose

Remove the pizza dough from the refridgerator and allow to proof for 1 hour at room temperature.  While it is proofing preheat you oven to 500 degrees (or as hot as it gets) and place your pizza stone in the oven if you have one (if you don't use a baking sheet). Combine the corn pudding with the mascarpone in a medium bowl. When the dough is done proofing, stretch one of the pieces of dough into an oval.  Remove the pizza stone or baking sheet from the oven and place the dough on top of the stone.  Working quickly, top the dough with 3/4 cup of the corn pudding mixture, 1/4 cup of the corn kernels, 2 tablespoons of bacon, and a pinch of chile flakes.  Return the pizza to the oven and cook for about 10 minutes or until the dough is cooked and charred in spots and the bacon is cooked.  Remove the pizza from the oven and sprinkle with 1 ounce of the grated cheese.  Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 4 pizzas.  

Corn Pudding

Recipe adapted from I Love New York By Daniel Humm and Will Guidara

I tried to streamline this part mostly because I didn’t exactly understand where this corn juice was coming from that they use in the recipe.  But my work exceptionally well!

2 cups corn kernels (from about 5 ears of corn)

¼ cup water or milk

3 tablespoons mascarpone

¾ teaspoon salt

Place the corn kernels in a food processor and process until a chunky puree forms.  While the machine is running, pour a tablespoon of water in at a time.  Continue pouring in water a little at a time until the puree smoothes out a little (its fine for it to still be a little chunky since you don’t want to add too much water). 

Dump the corn puree into a medium saucepan over medium-high heat while whisking constantly.  After 1 ½ to 2 minute, as the starches in the corn juice just start to thicken, turn down the hear slightly to avoid scorching.  Whisk until the corn reaches a puddinglike thickness, another 3 to 4 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the mascarpone.  Season with salt.  Allow to cool and then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days. 

new at the market.

Salted butter.  There isn't much else that is needed to accompany a grilled ear of corn.  

While I can't get enough of corn with butter dribbling down my chin and pooling (hopefully) on my plate instead of on my leg, sometimes I want a little something more.  

So this summer I plan on making cheesy polenta with corn and tomatoes (as seen on Not Without Salt's Instagram), corn pizza with bacon and scallions, corn ice cream (or at least making a trip to the Bent Spoon for their version of corn ice cream), and a corn and farro salad with avocado and chipotle.  

But let's be honest, my goal is to get my hands on Thirty Acres grilled corn with miso, browned butter, and lobster mayo and figure out how to recreate it.  ASAP.  

grilled avocado and corn salad.

Have you noticed there is a blizzard going on outside ride now?  A blizzard named Nemo (I mean really who names these things?) and he is wreaking havoc on the city and flights (Miami I’ll be seeing you Sunday sorry for the delay).  I imagine you are sitting at home eating chocolate chip cookies and drinking hot chocolate (don’t tell me I’m the only one) and watching the fat flakes fall in an endless stream onto the city streets.  I haven’t experienced a winter wonderland like this in quite a while and I forgot how beautiful and quiet it can be when everyone is hibernating inside.  It’s rather magical, so magical in fact that I found self pressing my face to the glass in order to get a better look at the world outside.  Sometimes my inner child has a way of emerging. 

I decided this week, as a reward for making it to February, to finally dip into my stash of frozen summer vegetables.  I have the tendency to hoard summer’s bounty in my freezer so when the depths of winter doldrums have arrived I have a little of sun – a reminder of what will eventually arrive again.  I settled on the corn and knew a simple sautéed corn salad would help to cure my winter blues.  The cumin and crushed chipotle peppers give a great deal of warmth and complexion to the dish.  The grilled avocado provided the perfect creamy buttery touch to the salad.  I found myself slathering warmed avocado on homemade whole wheat bread and topping it with the corn salad.  It was an open faced sandwich that bridged the gap between seasons. 

Grilled Avocado and Corn Salad

Recipe adapted from Not Without Salt

I imagine when corn is in season again, this will then be on heavy rotation.  Cooking the salad on a cast iron skillet and grilling the avocados over an open flame will give the whole dish a smokiness that can never be achieved indoors.  If you don’t have a gas stove you can omit the grilling of the avocados. 

Also, this recipe is adapted from one I found on the most well-written and beautifully photographed food blog I have ever read called Not Without Salt (thanks Simone!).  She has beautifully well-written thoughts not only about food but also about love and what it means to be in a relationship.  I highly recommend it and I also recommend you have several hours available before you start reading because it’s addicting. 

Serves 2

1 tablespoon oil

3 cups frozen corn

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon crushed chipotle pepper or crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon sour cream

1/3 cup diced queso fresco or feta

Salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup chopped cilantro 

1 avocado, halved

Sea salt for sprinkling

In a large sauté pan heat the tablespoon of oil on medium-high heat.  When the oil is hot add the corn to the pan, stir to heat through.  Add the cumin and crushed pepper and continue to cook until the corn is heat through and just beginning to carmelize, about 3 minutes.  Add the sour cream and stir to combine.  Mix in the cheese and continue to cook for another minute.  Taste and adjust the seasonings.  Stir in the cilantro and remove the corn from the heat. 

Place the avocado cut side down on the burner over a medium heat.  Heat for a minute and the flip.  Divide the corn onto 2 plates and top each with an avocado half and then a sprinkle of sea salt.   

corn chowder.

The last few nights I’ve slept like a baby.  Curled up under my blankets with the windows open and a cool breeze passing through the bedroom has me sleeping soundly.  The arrival of September always signifies the beginning of my favorite time of year.  I love the reemergence of sweaters and jeans and the swapping of flip-flops and sandals for loafers and boots but what I love most is returning to the kitchen to cook comfort foods.  There is something nice about spending my weekends simmering stews or baking fresh bread that makes me utterly happy but I get most excited about cooking soup.  I have a long held love affair with soup – it warms your insides up, every ingredient works well in soup, and it’s filling and easy.  This corn chowder is about as simple as it gets and it comes together in under 40 minutes!  All of the ingredients can be picked up from the farmers market (except for a few pantry staples) and it doesn’t even require chicken broth!  I enjoyed a big bowl of it accompanied with a grilled cheese sandwich – comfort food doesn’t get much better then that. 

Corn Chowder

Recipe, adapted from Mark Bittman

This can be altered any number of ways.  If you prefer peppers to tomatoes you can swap them.  Like a simpler version, omit my spice choices.  I urge you to play around, but my version below is an excellent starting point. 

4 ears of corn

1 tablespoon butter or oil or bacon grease

1 medium onion, chopped

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon smoked spicy paprika (or regular paprika)

4 plum tomatoes, diced

1 cup milk (I used half skim half cream)

Chives to garnish

Shuck corn, and use a pairing knife to strip kernels into a bowl.  Put cobs in a pot with 5- 6 cups of water; bring to a boil, cover, and simmer while you continue. 

Put butter, oil, or grease in a saucepan, and turn heat to medium-high.  When butter melts or oil is hot, add onion and potatoes, along with a sprinkling of salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, about 5 minutes; add tomatoes and cook, stirring, for another minute or two. 

After corncobs have cooked at least 10 minutes, strain liquid into onion-potato mixture and stir in paprika.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer.  When potatoes are tender, add corn kernels and milk, and heat through.  Taste, and adjust seasonings.  Garnish with chives and serve. 

corn pesto pasta with bacon and basil.

It shocks me that it took me until now, the tail end of summer, to discuss this recipe.  I don’t know where my head is at as of late, apparently it has forgotten all of my summer favorites, but the farmers market is still filled with corn and tomatoes and I’m happy I am finally bringing it to your attention rather late then never.  This is one of those rather perfect dishes.  It has all of the flavors I love (salty bacon and sweet corn!) and it’s the epitome of farmers market eating.  It’s rich and creamy with out being heavy and the basil adds a wonderful amount of freshness to the dish.  It’s a crowd pleaser (who doesn’t like corn and bacon) and it tastes just as good the next day.  It also doesn’t require anything more then a tomato salad to serve with it.  As I mentioned, its perfect and I would highly suggest immediately running to buy the six ears of corn this requires and making it before corn season is over. 

Corn Pesto Pasta with Bacon and Basil

Recipie from Bon Appetit

I have halved this with wonderful results (just in case you aren’t feeding a crowd!)

4 bacon slices, cut lengthwise in half, then crosswise into ½ inch pieces

4 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from 6 large ears)

1 large garlic cloves, minced

1 ¼ teaspoons kosher salt

¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan plus additional for serving

1/3 cup pine nuts, toasted

¼ - 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (I always use less)

8 -12 ounces of fettuccine or really any pasta (its great with fettuccine but I made it with homemade cavetelli and it was lovely as well – I think you can use more pasta as it makes a lot of sauce)

¾ cups coarsely torn fresh basil leaves

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp and brown, stirring often.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain.  Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from the skillet.  Add corn, garlic, 1 ¼ teaspoons salt, ¾ teaspoon pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using) in skillet.  Sauté over medium-high heat until corn is just tender but not brown, about 4 minutes.  Transfer 1 ½ cups corn kernels to a small brown and reserve.  Scrape remaining corn mixture into processor.  Add ½ cup parmesan and pine nuts.  With machine running, add olive oil through feed tube and blend until pesto is almost smooth.  Set pesto aside. 

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but fir, to bite, stirring occasionally.  Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water.  Return pasta to pot.  Add corn pesto, reserved corn kernels, and ½ cup basil leaves.  Toss pasta mixture over medium heat until warmed through, add reserved pasta liquid by ¼ cupfuls to thin to desired consistency (I only require barely ¼ cup as I like it chunky but you can add more!).  Season pasta to taste with salt and pepper. 

Transfer pasta to a large shallow bowl.  Sprinkle with remaining ¼ cup basil leaves and reserved bacon.  Serve pasta with additional cheese if desired. 

leek and corn pizza.

I have been neglecting the leeks at the farmers market.  I didn’t even realize that I had until last week when I spied them nestled between the chard and kale and I couldn’t remember the last time I cooked with them.  It was such a shame that I had forgotten about them considering how much I love them paired with corn (as seen here), that I figured I needed to resurrect the situation.  If I hadn’t had a long weekend ahead of me I would have probably sautéed them and thrown it on some pasta (which would have been lovely), but since I had what felt like all the time in the world, a pizza seemed appropriate.  I sautéed the leeks until they got nice and tender and a touch brown and then added in the corn and some red pepper flakes for some heat to balance out the sweetness of the vegetables.  I decided on a white pizza in order to let the flavors of the leek and corn shine. The creamy ricotta and salty mozzarella were the perfect companion – each bite was both salty and sweet.  We washed it down with watermelon beer and then finished the night with slices of s’mores pie.  End of summer dinning at its best. 

Leek and Corn Pizza

This will make more leek and corn mixture then you will need for the pizza.  I used the remainder the next day atop some gnocchi for a wonderful pasta lunch.  It would also be lovely in a grilled cheese or atop crostini. 

3 leeks, white and light green parts only, cut into rounds and then the rounds halved

2 ears of corn, shucked

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ - 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons heavy cream

Salt and pepper to taste (lots of pepper!)

½ pound mozzarella shredded

1 cup ricotta

½ recipe of my favorite pizza dough (or make the full recipe and freeze halve the dough! Or you can double the corn and leek and make 4 pizzas.)

Preheat your oven to 500 degrees (or the highest it can go) and if you have a pizza stone place it inside the oven (if not just preheat).  Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, once hot add the butter and oil and when the butter and oil is melted and beginning to sizzle, add the leeks, and turn the heat down to medium-low.  Cook the leeks for about 10 minutes, stirring on occasion, until the leeks are soft and just beginning to brown.  Once the leeks are soft, add the corn to the pan as well as the red pepper flakes, cream, and salt and pepper.  Taste, and adjust seasonings if necessary.  Continue to cook for another 2 minutes and then set aside.

On a floured surface, stretch the dough out to about 10 – 12 inches (I was able to stretch to about 12 inches). Don’t worry if its not perfectly round!  Place the dough on your pizza stone or on a baking sheet if you don’t have a stone.  Top the pizza with half the mozzarella, then use half the ricotta to place dollops on the pizza.  On top of the cheese, scatter the leek and corn mixture.  Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes until the cheese is melted and the crust is browned.  Repeat with the other piece of dough. 

fresh corn polenta with sausage and tomatoes.

The temperature remains high and all I can think about is fall which is pathetic considering I will be dreaming of summer come November.  The problem is that stores are filling up with sweaters and blazers and dark denim and I want to scoop all of it and wear it immediately (I am currently lusting over a beautiful Rag and Bone blazer and these blue suede JCrew pumps…they make me swoon.)  I’ve also been craving as of late warm plates of food – piping hot bowls of pasta, spicy soups, and rich casseroles.  I think by body is saying “I want something besides tomato salad!!” I reached a conclusion the other night that I can have my cake and eat it to – I can use the plethora of vegetables I have to create a comforting dish of food (and suffer in the sauna like kitchen which is what happens when I turn the oven on for more the 5 minutes in the summer).

So I thought and pondered and looked at cookbooks and decided that fresh corn polenta would fill my need for something warm and comforting and it would still feel like summer.  Fresh corn polenta is amazing – it’s sweet and creamy and it works with a wide variety of toppings.  It’s also a cinch to make and it tastes like epitome of summer and fall (yes food can taste like multiple seasons).  For my polenta topping, I cooked up some sausage for texture and then mixed in some jalapenos for heat.  I also added in some chopped tomatoes for a nice burst of acidity and then I spooned this mixture over my lovely corn polenta.  The dish fulfilled all my cravings and the variety of tastes and textures transformed it into something special.  It’s was the kind of meal that makes you look forward to fall. 

Fresh Corn Polenta with Sausage and Tomatoes

The corn polenta makes a wonderful base for any variety of things.  Works wonderfully with grilled shrimp or you could make it vegetarian my omitting the sausage.  The possibilities are endless!

Fresh Corn Polenta

Recipe from Marcus Samuelson

Serves for as a side, 2 generously as a meal

4 ears of corn

½ cup water

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Grated parmesan or cheddar or a combination of both, to taste

Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Stand the shucked ears of corn upright in a shallow bowl and cut off the kernel as close to the cob as you can.  Go around again and scrape out the remaining milk in the cobs.  Grind the corn kernels in a food processor until you have a slushy mix.  Put the corn in a large saucepan along with the water and olive oil.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring every few minutes; don’t let the corn scorch!  Add salt, cheese, and pepper, along with a drizzle of olive oil if desired and the topping if your choice.  Serve at once.

Sausage and Tomato Topping

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 link of spicy sausage, casing removed (I used a jalapeno pepper jack one that I got from the Meat Hook!)

¾ cup cherry tomatoes, halved

¼ cup diced roasted red peppers

1-2 tablespoons diced jalapenos (depending on your level of spicy)

Chives to garnish

In a sauté pan heat the olive oil, when hot add the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon.  When brown and cooked through add in the tomatoes and peppers, cooking until the tomatoes have begun to burst about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and mix in the jalapenos.  Spoon mixture over the corn polenta and garnish with chives.