Corn

According to food historians, wild corn may have been growing in southern Mexico as early as 5200 B.C.E. , while cultivated corn may have appeared as early as 3400 B.C.E. Corn was so sacred to the Mayans that they used human blood to fertilize it. Columbus was introduced to corn by the Arawaks in the Caribbean, and when settlers arrived in the New World, the native Americans taught them how to cultivate and cook corn as well as grind it to make cornmeal. In Europe, corn never became popular for more than animal feed except in isolated pockets, such as northern Italy, where polenta is a dietary staple.

Sweet corn, of which there are many varieties, is the type of corn served on the cob and preserved by canning and freezing. It is picked when immature while the kernels are still sweet and juicy. Field corn (also known as dent corn) is picked when mature and starchy, then dried. Over eighty percent of field corn in the United States is used as livestock feed; the remainder is used in processed food and drinks, as well as non-food products such as plastic and fuel. Popcorn is a field-type corn with a very hard hull. When heated, the kernel’s internal moisture becomes steam and because the steam has nowhere to go, it causes the kernel to explode. Indian (or flint) corn, with its multicolored kernels, is the type used as decoration in autumn. Blue corn, which was nearly extinct in this country in the 1980s, is now a featured ingredient in tortillas, cornbread and pancake mixes, and is also sold as cornmeal.

Tomato Season 6

Slow-roasted tomatoes are quite easily, one of the cheapest ways to elevate a dish from mundane to sublime. Take two baskets of cherry tomatoes, halve them, arrange in a roasting pan or cookie sheet, sprinkle each with a tiny bit of kosher salt and olive oil, then roast at 175 F to 200 F for 3 hours. You can do this with regular supermarket tomatoes or seasonal produce from the farmer’s market. The best time to cook them this way is now when tomatoes are at their most flavorful. Roast two or three cookie sheets’ worth of tomatoes, use as desired and freeze or can the rest. Prepared in this manner, they provide a taste of summer while we’re in the throes of winter.

I love slow-roasted tomatoes as a garnish to roast fish or chicken, or as a salad ingredient, or passed through a food mill and transformed into pasta sauce. A friend swears by them in omelettes with smoked salmon and chevre. Here, I’ve paired them with corn fritters lightly seasoned with a hint of marjoram, an herb that belongs to the mint family but actually boasts a mild, oregano-like flavor.

Corn fritters with slow-roasted tomatoes and fromage blanc

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For the corn fritters:

1 cup fresh corn kernels (about 2 ears of corn)
3 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh marjoram, chopped
pinch of kosher salt
vegetable oil, for frying

Crush corn kernels with a strong fork or a potato masher. Combine corn, marjoram, flour, egg and salt. Stir well to blend.

Pour oil into a skillet and place over medium-high heat. Form the fritters by dropping the batter in 1-tablespoon portions into the pan, then fry the fritters until golden brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Cook the fritters in batches, adding more oil to the pan as necessary. Drain on paper towels. Serve with a few spoonfuls slow-roasted tomatoes and a dollop of fromage blanc. If you don’t have any fromage blanc, substitute low-fat sour cream.

This will be my entry for Weekend Herb Blogging hosted by Graziana from Erbe in Cucina (Cooking with Herbs).

September Greenmarket

The seasons might have changed this past Monday but there was precious little evidence of that judging by what was on offer at the Greenmarket today.

Seckel pears — Developed in the early part of the 19th century, seckel pears are a variety of heirloom pear with a dull green cast and red highlights. The fruit is very sweet with a somewhat grainy texture since it is a hybrid of European and Asian pear. Seckel pears are the variety most often found in home orchards.

White peaches — White peaches were known in Europe as early as the mid-17th century, although they were so delicate compared to yellow peaches that they nearly disappeared from commercial orchards. Since the 1980’s, white peaches have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity, and newly developed later-ripening varieties have extended the white peach season to nearly match that of yellow varieties.

Indian corn

Gnocchi 5

Gnocchi has a permanent place in my repertoire. On average, I have it once or twice every six weeks. I usually make ricotta gnocchi because it’s lighter and lends itself to more dishes than the usual potato kind. There are variants made with chestnuts, semolina and corn meal but these are less-known, not to mention I’m unfamiliar with a couple of them.

Ricotta gnocchi with corn and heirloom tomatoes

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Recipe and demo after the jump.

Tomato Season 3

Blue Hill could mean either Blue Hill at Stone Barns or Blue Hill Washington Square, two restaurants in New York that epitomize the philosophy of market cooking.

Tonight’s meal was inspired in part by a menu at Blue Hill many years ago where the main ingredient in each course was tomatoes. I am unable to find notes online regarding that menu, probably since the menu in question was in September 2002. On the other hand, here are a couple of pictures from a meal I had in 2007 that might give you an idea of the kind of inventiveness that regularly makes its appearance in Chef Barber’s kitchen.

Left to right: heirloom tomatoes seasoned with fleur de sel and a touch of olive oil, tomato “burger” and tomato water

Summer fruits — grilled apricot, plum, heirloom tomatoes, watercress, tomato foam, tomato sorbet

Now, a dinner at BHSB or even at BHWS regularly costs upwards of about $125, not including wine. I’ve cut back drastically on my spending these days. As far as I’m concerned, the next best thing is doing something similar at home.

Recipes and pictures after the jump.

Two Salads

Left: Watermelon radish and Japanese cucumber salad with ginger viniagrette; right: warm arugula, corn and tomato salad

Afternoon Snack

Sorry I haven’t been posting much — been busy at work these past two weeks.

Corn and tomato sauté, ricotta bruschetta

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This was two ears of corn briefly sautéed in melted unsalted butter with minced shallots, a pinch of salt and some chopped tarragon. Remove from heat and stir in some diced tomato.

The ricotta spread consists of 4 tablespoons sheep’s milk ricotta cheese, salt, pepper, extra-virgin olive oil and 1 teaspoon chopped lemon thyme. Combine all ingredients and stir until thoroughly incorporated. Can be made 1 to 2 hours in advance; chill in the refrigerator until ready for use. Spread ricotta on slices of grilled or toasted bread and serve.

October Surprise

Saturday morning at Union Square Greenmarket….