Quick Corn

It must be corn season, seeing we've been eating corn on the cob almost every night, and Alexis' delicious post on Mexican corn. Now that we have an infant, and try to get dinner on the table in a half hour, we've learned some new tricks. Here's a great go-to for weeknight dinners. Super quick and no-mess.

What's in it
2 ears of corn on the cob

How it's made
Grab 2 ears of corn, and do not husk them. Stick them in the microwave on high for 8 minutes.* Take them out with an oven mitt and let cool a few minutes. Take a sharp chef's knife and cut the bottom of the corn off, 1 inch from the stalk. Grab the corn from the top (where the corn silk is) and shake the corn out. Husk and silk come clean off with no mess.

*If you want to just do one corn, microwave for 4 minutes.

If my written directions are not clear, you can see this video. Actually you should watch this video anyways because this man is so sweet.

Mexican-Style Grilled Corn

Usually, on the side of the street in Mexico City, there is a man or a woman grilling ears of corn over hot coals. The elote's sweet, roasty aroma wafts across plazas, tempting you to buy one even when you aren't quite hungry. Should you indulge in this cheap and tasty treat, the proprietor will offer to slather your corn with crema or mayo, roll it in salty crumbled cotija cheese, dust it with spicy chile powder, and drizzle it with lime--or whatever particular combination appeals to you.

Indulge in this treat. Trust me.

Not just once, but almost every time you have the chance. This type of corn is a Mexico City tradition, and you just are not living life to the fullest if you pass it up. This is a little difficult, because there are so many delectable food traditions like this in Mexico City--if you aren't careful you will end up neglecting the myriad other joys of one of the best cities on Earth.

If you are not going to be in Mexico City any time soon (it has sadly been 12 years since I lived there and at least 10 since my last visit), this recipe will help tide you over. Now, this is not exactly a traditional Mexican recipe--it came from Cook's Illustrated. It adds a lovely garlicky dimension,  uses Pecorino Romano and cilantro. Yet somehow it captures the essence of Mexican grilled corn while becoming something completely new and undeniably delicious.

Like a fading memory or a feeling of nostalgia, this recipe manages to make the street food of Mexico City taste better than ever.

Mexican-Style Grilled Corn

~Print Recipe~

• 1/4 cup regular or light mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons sour cream or Greek yogurt (regular or non-fat)
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed
• 3/4 teaspoon chili powder, separated
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 teaspoons lime juice (from 1 lime)
• 1 ounce Pecorino Romano cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)
• 4 teaspoons vegetable oil, plus more for grill
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 6 large ears of corn, husks and silk removed

1. Start your grill and heat until hot. Scrape grill clean. Dip a wad of paper towels in vegetable oil. Holding wad with tongs, oil the grate.
2. While grill is heating, combine mayonnaise, sour cream or yogurt, cilantro, garlic, 1/4 teaspoon chili powder, black pepper, cayenne, lime juice, and cheese in a bowl. Set aside. 
3. In another bowl, mix vegetable oil, salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon chili powder. Add corn and toss until evenly coated OR brush oil mixture evenly onto corn.
4. Grill corn over coals, turning occasionally, until lightly charred on all sides--7 to 12 minutes. Removed from grill and place in a bowl with mayonnaise mixture, tossing to coat evenly. Alternatively, spread mayonnaise mixture on individual ears with a knife. Serve immediately.

Slow Cooker Chili Mac

Now that I have a very small human in my life, I am once again re-discovering the joys of the slow cooker. My son is so mellow in the morning, so preparing dinner in the morning is best, so it is ready in the evening, when he may not be as mellow. I have this great book 'Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Recipes for Two' and it really does have some great ideas in it. Here's a recipe for Chili Mac, which I have never made in my life, nor eaten except freeze dried while backpacking. For some reason it sounded delicious to me, and it was! This is a super simple recipe, and easy ingredients to prepare.

What's in it
1 small onion, chopped
1 lb ground dark turkey
2 cans 14.5oz diced tomatoes, drained (can use fire-roasted)
1 Tbl chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 lb macaroni, parcooked (can use whole grain pasta)
1 can corn, drained
2oz can sliced black olives, drained
2 C grated sharp cheddar cheese

How it's made
In a skillet (cast iron if you have it) saute the onions in olive oil until soft, then add ground turkey, stirring and breaking into pieces, until cooked through. Drain and add to slow cooker. Add tomatoes and spices to slow cooker, and stir to combine. Cook on low for 4 hours.

Meanwhile, cook and drain your pasta.

After 4 hours add remaining ingredients to slow cooker except for cheese, and stir to combine. Cook on low for another hour or so.

Serve in bowls topped with cheese. Enjoy!

Pan de Elote

The time: summer 2000. The place: a leafy neighborhood in Mexico City. The food: pan de elote.

It can be a little hard to think all the way back to when I was 17 years old and first ventured into a foreign country. But it is not hard to remember how my friend bought a slice of this tasty treat from an old lady seated at a folding table in the middle of a mercado sobre ruedas--something like a Mexico City version of a farmer's market. As we wound our way through the narrow aisles, between stalls cluttered high and low with everything from fresh produce to beauty products and brooms, Giovanna stopped me and handed me a slice of this pastry.

I had never even heard of  pan de elote (which somewhat misleadingly translates as corn bread), let alone tasted it. Elote? I thought to myself, isn't corn suppose to be called maiz? But as soon as I took my first bite I had an overwhelming feeling that this was something familiar, something I'd had long ago. I really can't explain it--I guess I don't need to, but I might just have to have another slice while I try to figure it out.

Pan de elote is a sweet (but not too sweet), dense, rich "bread." That's in quotation marks because there is very little flour in this bread, and there are lots of eggs which make it creamy and custard-y. There is no corn meal, just blended, fresh corn kernels--which give it a delectably toothsome texture. When it bakes, it turns a deep caramelized brown at the edges, and that is definitely the best part. Pan de elote is not your average corn bread. It is something special. I have not found anything like this in the United States. I did come across a recipe online once, but when I tried to make it, I ended up with something like corn pudding--nothing like the pan de elote I'd eaten all those years ago.

This recipe comes from My Sweet Mexico, one of the latest and greatest additions to my cookbook collection. The author, the pastry chef Fany Gerson, is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and a veteran of three-Michelin star restaurants. She spent years traveling around her native Mexico collecting the best dessert recipes she could find. You have no idea!

Pan de elote is among them. And thank god for that. This easy recipe captures the sweet corn essence of that first slice all those summers ago. Though this version is slightly richer and more custard-like than I remember, I am definitely not complaining.

Try pan de elote as a morning pastry with a cup of hot coffee or a glass of cold milk. Eat a slice as a snack or even as dessert. Warning: eating pan de elote may cause you to relive past adventures in Mexico. Even if you have never been to that lovely country, eating this you might experience a pleasant sensation of deja vu. You'll see.

Pan de Elote

~Print Recipe~

• 5 ears of corn, shucked, or 2 cups of corn kernels (I used the really good cans of corn from Trader Joe's. Don't believe canned corn could be good? Try it!)
• 3 tablespoons rice flour or all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 5 eggs, room temperature
• 1 (14 oz.) can of condensed milk
• 1/3 cup Mexican crema or sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for the pan

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease and four a 9-inch cake pan. Slice the kernels from the corn, or drain the canned corn.
2. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Put the eggs, condensed milk, crema/sour cream, and vanilla in an electric blender or food processor and mix to combine. Slice the butter into small pats and add to the blender. Add the four mixture and the corn kernels and blend until well-incorporated. (The mixture will not be completely smooth!)
3. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toopick inserted into the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool slightly, then invert onto a wire rack to cool. Cut into slices and enjoy slightly warm or at room temperature.

Masa Cornbread

All of the contributors to this blog love cornbread. (Check out both the Amber and Kate versions.) Now it's my turn. It's cornbread. It's masa. It's a match made in heaven: masa cornbread. 

I can't begin to tell you how much I love masa. Pretty much any possible thing made of this corn dough wins my overwhelming approval. Fresh corn tortillas? Absolutely. Sopes, tamales? Sign me up. I will make my own one of these days.

In the meantime, though, now I have something else to make with my masa harina (flour made from corn). Cornbread! It's so genius, I wish that I had thought of it myself. It's just like regular cornbread, but with a tiny Mexican twist. It has all of the great characteristics of regular cornbread, but with that distinct and delicious masa flavor. (Imagine the sweet taste of very fresh handmade corn tortillas--not the kind you typically buy at the store in this country. I hope you are lucky enough to know what I mean!)

I have made this masa cornbread two different ways and I will likely tweak the recipe as I continue to make it. I wanted to share it with you, though, because I think it is pretty amazing just as it is now. I will let you know if I figure out an even better recipe. This cornbread would be great with chili, but it is so good on its own, I say just make up a batch just so you can snack on it whenever you want. I'm even thinking about all of the possible add-ins for the next time I make this corn bread: cheese, green chiles? Yes, please.

Masa Cornbread

~Print Recipe~

• 1 cup masa harina
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup honey
• 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup or 1/2 stick) butter, melted plus 1 tablespoon for skillet
• 3/4 cup frozen corn kernels, defrosted (or fresh if it's in season)

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
2. Whisk dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
3. Whisk wet ingredients together in a medium bowl. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir to combine. 
4. Add corn kernels and stir to fully incorporate, but be careful not to over-mix.
5. Put empty cast iron skillet in the oven for a minute. (If a non-cast iron baking dish, skip this step.) Remove and use remaining 1 tablespoon (you can use less) of butter to grease the bottom and sides of the warmed pan. Pour batter evenly into skillet.
6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the edges are browned and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan or on a rack slightly before serving.

Easy Honey Cornbread Muffins

I LOVE cornbread, especially when it's sweetened with honey.

Over the years I've made a lot of cornbread that was just ok. There are two recipes that I like, Marie Callendar's mix and this one.

Easy Honey Cornbread

~Print Recipe~

1 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup frozen corn, defrosted
1 cup milk*
2 eggs
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/3 cup honey

Whisk the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Beat the wet ingredients together and combine with dry. Don't over mix but make sure all everything is incorporated.

Portion into a greased muffin tin and bake for about 15 minutes at 400 degrees. Try not to use paper cupcake liners. The crust is one of the best parts.

*I never have milk in my house, but I almost always have half and half. So I use 1/2 cup 1/2&1/2 and 1/2 cup rice milk. Pretty much anything milk-like works. Just be aware of the fat content. This recipe is based on a whole fat milk, soy and rice milks usually have less fat.

Honey Cornbread

I made this yesterday for Easter while BBQing with friends. It was so easy and really quite delicious - not too sweet, and very light and fluffy. Much better than the box of Jiffy I am used to. Thanks to Allrecipes.com for this one!

What's in it

1 C flour

1 C cornmeal

1/4 C sugar

1 Tbl baking powder

1 C heavy cream

1/4 C vegetable oil

1/4 C honey

2 eggs, lightly beaten

How it's made

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and lightly grease a 9x9 baking pan or cast iron skillet.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. Then make a well in the center of the ingredients and add the rest of the wet ingredients and stir to combine.

Bake 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out dry. Drizzle honey on top for extra sweetness.

Andrea asked about honey butter, and apparently it's easy to make. Just whisk together soft butter and honey. It is delicious on cornbread. I will try making it next time.

Veggies You Love Chowder

Today I received my first shipment for my CSA box from Farm Fresh To You and I spent the afternoon researching recipes that would use a good part of the veggies.  If you are interested in signing up for this CSA program, I can refer you at a discount on the first trial.

After looking through all my Mollie Katzen books (Moosewood) I found one that seemed easy and versatile, Vegetable Chowder.  After making this, I realized the veggie portions are more of a guideline, I would use whatever you have on hand.

What's in it

Butter

2C chopped onion

6 cloves garlic, minced

salt, thyme & basil (whatever else you like as well, I used Caraway Seed)

1 medium potato, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 medium carrots, diced

2C chopped broccoli

1/2 lb mushrooms, chopped

frozen or fresh corn

Diced tomatoes, canned and drained

fresh black pepper

1 1/2C water

1 Qt milk, heated.

How it's made

Melt butter in large pot or dutch oven.  Add onion, half of garlic and basil, thyme, salt.  Satue about 5 minutes until onions clarify.  Add potatoes, celery, carrots, broccoli and saute another 5 minutes or so. Add mushrooms, corn and tomatoes, plus lots of pepper.  Saute another 10 minutes.  Add water, cover and simmer about 15 minutes until everything is tender.  Stir in the milk and remaining garlic.  Remove from heat.  Served topped with fresh herbs.

Obviously you can add or subtract depending on your ingredients.  I added half a bag of frozed artichoke hearts I had on hand, because I love them!  Other good additions are cauliflower, zucchini, etc.  Sorry there are not precise measurements for some of the smaller portions, I don't believe in measuring those amounts.  It will depend on how much veggies you have.

This turned out to be an incredibly delicious soup, very creamy and flavorful.  I also picked up a par baked french bread from TJ's and baked it fresh out of the oven, and it was perfect with the soup.  Yum!

Leta's Pozole

Andy's mom makes the best Pozole (also spelled Posole). Ok, it's pretty much the only Pozole I've ever had, but it's delicious! Last night we made it at Andy's new house and it was enough for me and three dudes.

What's in it

oil

1 lg yellow onion, chopped

2 lb (or so) pork shoulder/loin cut in small cubes

tall can of canned beer

cumin, ground coriander, red chili powder (sweet)

2 cans green chili, drained and chopped

1 lg can hominy, drained

1 small can corn, drained

steamed tortillas

mexican cheese, crumbled (Alexis, help me with the name here) or grated monterey jack

lime

chopped cilantro

How it's done

In a dutch oven, clear onions in oil on stovetop. Add pork and brown. Then add beer and spices, cover and simmer 45-60 minutes. Add cans of hominy, corn, chili. Simmer until warmed.

Serve topped with cheese, cilantro and lime. Eat with steamed tortillas (use them to pinch of pieces of the stew).

*We had this for dinner again tonight (July 2010) with Ngoc and Dave, and Dave's (mexican) grandma makes traditional pozole. He recommended adding a ham hock or pig's foot to the broth for stewing, and also recommended adding shredded fresh cabbage for garnish and sliced radishes.