July 2008 - Posts
CORN - Alberta-grown corn! It always feels like nothing short of a miracle when this parched place we call home actually yields a vegetable for us to eat. I will overdose on corn and I will get my fix in one of three ways: boiling, grilling and sauteing. Opinions vary on this but I get the best results boiling corn by placing husked cobs in a large pot and covering them with cold water. I put neither sugar nor salt in the water. Cover the pot and turn the element to high. When the water boils the corn is done. Simple. Drain and serve. Offer butter and salt, of course.
For grilled corn with a smokey, spicy flavour I first melt some butter in a large roasting pan and toss in a good, generous sprinkling of chile powder (about a tablespoon), a large pinch of kosher salt and the juice and grated zest of a fresh lime. Mix together and roll the cobs of husked corn in the seasoned butter mixture until they are evenly coated. Grill on the BBQ, turning often, until the cobs are deeply golden yellow and starting to char in places. Serve to eager family and friends as is. The seasoning has all been done by you, in advance.
My third most enjoyed corn dish is fresh corn husked, shucked and sauteed in a pan with a little bit of canola oil, fresh diced jalapenos, chile powder and lime juice and zest, similar in flavour to the grilled corn but cleaner and easier to eat. Saute until the corn is bright yellow and tender. You may need to add a few tablespoons of water as it cooks if it looks dry. Add salt to taste. You can toss in a handful of chopped, fresh cilantro. This dish is also delicious served cold and will keep well for a few days in the fridge if it lasts that long.
This season I am eager to try a new recipe I just discovered for a luscious-sounding corn chowder that appeals to me because its creamy rich texture is attained by pureeing the corn and not by adding any cream. Here is the recipe adapted from A Farm To Table Cookbook by Jim Denevan:
Corn Chowder With Marjoram
6 ears sweet corn, husked; 3 small onions; 2 carrots; 1 rib celery; 2 dried bay leaves; 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon unsalted butter; kosher salt; 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced; 6 sprigs fresh marjoram, leaves removed from stems (substitute fresh parsley or thyme if you like); sour cream or plain yogurt (optional).
Hold an ear of corn upright on its end and cut off kernels with a sharp knife. Place kernals in a bowl and scrape all juice and remaining bits of kernel into the bowl also. Repeat will all 6 ears. Set the bowl aside. Cut the cobs in half and place them in a stockpot. Cut one of the onions, one carrot and the celery into chunks and add them with the bay leaves to the stockpot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until fragrant, about 1 hour. Strain the stock, discarding the solds, and set aside.
Cut the remaining two onions and carrot into small dice. In a large pot heat the olive oil and butter over medium-low heat until the butter foams. Add the onions, carrot and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions and carrot soften, about 8 minutes. Add the diced potatoes, half of the marjoram leaves, the corn and juices and about 1 teaspoon salt. Stir to combine and cook for 2 minutes. Add the corn stock to cover the vegetables in the pot, raise the heat to high and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 20-25 minutes. Add more stock or water to keep the vegetables covered, if necessary.
Transfer half of the soup to a food processer or blender and (carefully) puree until smooth. (Beware of boiling hot liquid flying around.) Return the pureed soup to the pot and adjust the consistency with more stock or water as needed. Chop the remaining marjoram leaves. Bring the chowder back to a boil and stir in the marjoram. Ladle into bowls and serve with a dollop of sour cream or plain yogurt if you like.
May your corn season be joyful and delicious.
I subscribe to some free, fun foodie online newsletters with loads of interesting articles and recipes. Reading these is a great way to stay inspired with fresh ideas for all kinds of food preparation. Here are the electronic newsletters I read and enjoy:
Epicurious From the editors of Gourmet and Bon Appetit magazines, with reliable and creative recipes. Recipe Flash offers weekly recipes and food features. Tasting Notes is a monthly wine review.
Woman's Day Recipe of the Day Newsletter Receive a delicious, easy, well-tested recipe every day.
Cooking.com Primarily a shopping site but has a good newsletter called Food For Thought with recipes, menu ideas and tips.
LA Times Food and Drink Newsletter The best recipes and food stories from the Los Angeles Times plus other Tribune newspapers.
Canadian Living Two newsletters: Cooking for Friends and Quick and Easy Food.
FoodTV Food Network Canada's Newsletter with a link to an excellent recipe search by TV show, host, category, occasion, main ingredient.
America's Test Kitchen Public Television's most watched cooking show. Great recipes.
Fine Cooking Magazine The usual high quality, perfect recipes from this fine magazine.
Cooks' Illustrated Magazine Recipes that work. It's true.
101 Cookbooks A free subscription alerts you to new postings of healthy, vegetarian recipes with beautiful photos.
Chocolate and Zucchini A new one for me. I just signed up today. Not sure about it yet.
Those are my current favourites. Please tell me yours.
RUBY RED RASPBERRIES!
When the weather warms, many of us are fortunate enough to have our very own patch of raspberries ripe for the picking. If not, the markets and grocery stores offer up these luscious little jewels of tart tanginess to colour our menus. To receive a free map that lists Alberta garden markets call 1-800-661-2642. Looking for places to pick your own raspberries? Click Travel Alberta - U- Pick for more information.
Try these fabulously fresh and easy raspberry bars from Cooks' Illustrated magazine from October 2005 for a treat everyone will love you more for:
Raspberry Streusal Bars - makes twenty four 2-inch bars
2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour; 2/3 cup granulated sugar; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 16 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces; 1/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar; 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats; 1/2 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped fine; 3/4 cup raspberry jam; 3/4 cup fresh raspberries; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice.
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut a piece of tin foil to fit snugly into a 13 x 9 inch baking dish, with excess foil hanging over the edges. Butter foil or spray with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl or mixer mix flour, sugar and salt. Add 16 tablespoons of butter one piece at a time. Continue mixing until the mixture resembles damp sand, about 1 minute. Measure 1 1/4 cups of this flour mixture into a medium bowl and set aside. Distribute remaining flour mixture evenly into bottom of prepared baking pan, pressing mixture firmly to form bottom crust. Bake until edges begin to brown, 14 - 18 minutes.
While crust is baking, add brown sugar, oats and nuts to reserved flour mixture. Toss to combine. Work in remaining 2 tablespoons butter by rubbing mixture and butter between your fingers until butter is fully incorporated. Pinch mixture with fingers to form hazelnut-sized clumps. This is the streusal topping. Set it aside.
Combine jam, raspberries and lemon juice in a small bowl. Mash with a fork until combined but some berry pieces remain. Spread this filling evenly over the hot crust. Sprinkle streusal topping evenly over filling; do not press streusal into filling. Return pan to oven and bake until topping is deep golden brown and filling is bubbling, 22 - 25 minutes. Cool to room temperature for 1 - 2 hours. Remove from pan by lifting foil extensions. Cut into squares and serve.
Raspberries lend themselves beautifully to jams, muffins, bars and cakes. Calgary Public Library has many excellent books to inspire you to put precious raspberries to good use:
The jamlady cookbook / by Alfeld, Beverly Ellen Schoonmaker, 1946-
Luscious berry desserts / by Longbotham, Lori.
I [love] pies and tarts / by Kershner, Nancy, 1965-