Recipes from Cooking with Doyle Moore on Focus 580

August 3, 2005:  Corn

Doyle recommends not cooking corn very long.  Have water boiling then add corn for NO MORE than 3-4 minutes.  Can add sugar to water if choose.

Can microwave by placing damp paper towel over ear of corn and cooked for 2 minutes.

DRIED CORN

Cut corn from cob, put on cookie sheet, cover with cheesecloth or towel.  Put in sun and let dry.  To re-hydrate pour boiling water over until refreshed.  Cook in iron skillet with butter, “lots of pepper”, can then pour cream over all.

COLONIAL CORN PUDDING

• 4-5 ears fresh corn

• 3 eggs

• 1 C heavy cream

• ¾ C milk

• ¼ C buttermilk

• salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

• 2 T butter melted

Preheat oven to 350° F.  Scrape the corn from the cob first with the sharp edge of a knife to remove kernels, then with the back of the knife to make sure all the milky juice is extracted.  You should have 2 C.

Beat eggs well, then beat in cream, milk, and buttermilk.  Add the corn and salt and pepper to taste.  Grease a 1½ quart gratin dish, or an 8 x 8 baking pan with part of the butter.  Add the corn and dribble the rest of the butter on top.

Place in larger pan with about 1 inch hot water in it and bake for an hour-or until the top of the pudding is golden, and a knife inserted comes out clean.  Serves 4-6

SWEET CORN ICE CREAM (custard or sorbet)

• 4 C corn kernels cut from about 5 ears of corn (reserve 3 cobs)

• 2½ C milk

• 2 C heavy cream

• ¼ C granulated sugar

• 9 egg yolks

• ¾ C brown sugar

Combine kernels, 3 cobs cut in half, milk, cream and granulated sugar in large pot.  Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.  Remove from heat, discard cobs and then puree the mixture with an immersion blender.  Let steep for 30 minutes then place over medium-low heat.

Whisk together the yolks and brown sugar in a bowl.  Pour 1 C of the milk mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly so the eggs do not curdle.  Pour the yolk mixture back into the pot, and stir constantly until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 10 minutes.  Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, then freeze in an ice-cream maker according to manufacturer’s directions.  This is best when still soft, but can be kept in the freezer too.

Yield approximately 1 quart.

CORN & ZUCCHINI

• 3 ears corn (reserve milky juice)

• salt & pepper to taste

• small amount of vermouth

• small amount of olive oil

• ½ large red onion coarsely chopped

• 3 Zucchini cubed (1/2 “ cubes)

• 2 garlic cloves

• green onions in ½ inch lengths

Heat corn (dry) in cast iron skillet 3-4 minutes until brown and tender then season with salt and pepper. Remove from skillet.  Add vermouth to skillet and scrape brown starches from bottom, add corn milk.  Pour out of skillet, clean skillet, heat with olive oil.  Sauté onions, zucchini, garlic and green onions. (sauté to liking)   Slowly stir corn mixture into skillet until starts to dry.

CORN SAUCE AND BASIL

• 3 ears corn, cut off cob (reserve milk)

• 1 stick unsalted butter

• salt to taste

• basil

Warm corn milk mixture, pour over basil, strain immediately.   Add corn put into blender with butter and salt to taste and serve with scallops or other mild fish.