Fresh summer corn: chowder with crispy bacon AND corn-tomato salad with basil vinaigrette
| June 30, 2010 | Posted by ameliaps under corn, summer |
Is it a vegetable? Is it a grain? no wait… it’s deliciously sweet summer corn!!!
This super-produce is at peak right now and delicious raw or cooked. I prefer the white kernels if I can find them, I think they are sweeter and more “buttery”. You want to by your corn still in the husks and clean it when you are ready to cook it, so it stays fresher.
There are so many things you can do with it. Of course it’s good, as always, on-the-cob, steamed (or boiled) with salt and butter…but here are two other wonderful recipes: a corn chowder and a salad. The chowder is perfect for a large crowd and it makes use all the corn’s bounty: from the kernels to the cob (the cobs are cooked in milk then the the kernels are added for crunch). The salad just exudes summer and makes a great accompaniment for grilled steak (or just eat it solo). My friend Kristen brought this salad over for a neighborhood dinner (theme: Mexican) and I loved it immediately!!!
Note: while the chowder recipe calls for uncooked potatoes, I ended up using some baked potates with onions (seasoned with oil and tarragon) that I made the evening before. I think it made my chowder extra rich and tasty!
Also, here are some additional corn recipes, perfect for the summer, from my previous blog entries:
- Rustic caramelized cherry-tomato, olive, onions and corn tarte-Tatin (upside down tart) with fresh oregano
- Roasted shrimp, orzo, and corn salad with herbs and lemon juice
- End-of-summer farmer’s salad with green bean bundles, corn and tomato (this recipe won a contest 
)
- Smoky succotash
Corn chowder with crispy bacon
(Inspired by a recipe of Ina Garten – hers adds lobster)
Servings: 6
3 ears corn
For the stock:
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup cream sherry
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
4 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream (note: i used more milk instead of cream…)
1 cup dry white wine
For the soup:
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1/4 pound bacon, large-diced (note: I like my bacon thin sliced, and THEN later chop it in small pieces)
2 cups large-diced unpeeled Yukon gold potatoes (2 medium)
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
2 cups diced celery (3 to 4 stalks)
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives (note: I did not have any, so I omitted)
1/4 cup cream sherry
Cut the corn kernels from the cobs and set aside, reserving the cobs separately.
For the stock, melt the butter in a stockpot or Dutch oven large enough to hold all the corncobs. Add the onion and cook over medium-low heat for 7 minutes, until translucent but not browned, stirring occasionally. Add the sherry and paprika and cook for 1 minute. Add the milk, cream (or milk, if substituing for lightness!!!), wine, and corn cobs and bring to a simmer. Partially cover the pot and simmer the stock over the lowest heat for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, in another stockpot or Dutch oven, heat the oil and cook the bacon for 4 to 5 minutes over medium-low heat, until browned and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and reserve. Add the potatoes, onions, celery, corn kernels, salt, and pepper to the same pot and saute for 5 minutes. When the stock is ready, remove the corn cobs with tongs and discard. Place a strainer over the soup pot and carefully pour the stock into the pot with the potatoes and corn. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Add the chives and the sherry and season to taste. Heat gently and serve hot with a garnish of crisp bacon.
Corn-tomato salad with basil vinaigrette
(Recipe by Sara Moulton)
Servings: 4 to 6
Vinaigrette
3/4 cup Basil leaves – (packed)
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp White wine vinegar
1/4 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Freshly-ground black pepper
1 pn Sugar
1/4 c Extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tb Extra
Salad
10 Corn ears, husked
3/4 lb Cherry tomatoes, quartered
Salt, to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper
To make the vinaigrette: Combine all vinaigrette ingredients except the oils in a food processor and process until the basil is finely chopped. With the machine running, add the oils in a stream. Preheat the grill (or grill pan). Arrange the corn in one layer on a rack set 4 inches from the glowing coals (or on a grillpan) and grill, turning 4 times, for 3 minutes on a side. Remove corn from grill and cool. Cut kernels from the cobs and mix with enough vinaigrette to cover generously. Stir in tomatoes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
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I like the Corn-tomato salad you've shown here. I usually lean toward ingredients such as black beans, cumin, and lime in my corn salads. The basil vinaigrette will be a nice change of pace. Thanks.
Sweeet corn screams summer. Awaiting arrival of local corn to try the roasted shrimp and corn salad!