The sun-filled days of August produce some of the sweetest corn.  Try something different from the standard corn on the cob and add a few new savory recipes of corn chowder, sweet corn cakes and corn pudding to enhance your summer menus for outdoor or inside dining.

Corn Chowder

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons of Olive oil; 1 Sweet Onion, chopped.
• 1 medium Shallot chopped; 3 garlic gloves, chopped.
• 1 teaspoon Reva Paul’s seasoning mix:
• (Recipe for Reva Paul’s Seasoning mix: 2.5 tablespoons onion powder, 2.5 tablespoons garlic powder, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper)
• One small can 8.5 oz each of yellow and white corn, Drain liquid
• 8 ounces vegetable stock; 1 cup nonfat Lactaid Milk (Do not use skim or low percent milk. Whole milk or cream is ok)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg; ¼ Sherry (optional)
• Fresh (or dry) Herbs: Tarragon, Thyme, Sage, Rosemary. A few fresh sprigs of each to taste or ½ teaspoon of dry ground of each to taste.

Preparation:

1. Place olive oil in the bottom of a large soup pot. Add onions, shallots, garlic and seasoning mix.
2. Cook until translucent for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add corn, stock herbs and nutmeg.
4. Simmer ten minutes over a low flame. Add milk.
5. Optional-add Sherry.
6. Emulsify until blended leaving some texture to the broth.
7. Cover and simmer for twenty minutes.

Remove and serve. Or refrigerate. May be served cold or reheat to serve the next day. Croutons, cooked crabmeat, lobster, or scallops may be added if desired

Rosemary Croutons:  Lightly brush the bread of your choice, cut into 1-inch squares or use a small cookie cutter to cut in decorative shapes, with olive oil. Sprinkle ground rosemary, and optional grated Parmesan cheese on top.  Place on a cookie sheet in 350-degree oven until toasted. Remove from the oven.

Sweet Corn Cakes

 Ingredients

 2 cups of sweet corn kernels;

• 1/2 cup all- purpose flour;
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder;
• 1 egg yolk;
• 1 whole egg;
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 apple, peeled, cored and diced;
• 1 tsp, grated orange zest
• 1 TBS. unsalted sweet butter;
• 1 TBS. olive oil; salt and pepper to taste.

Directions:

1. Place 1 1/2 cups of corn kernels in a food processor and puree.
2. Strain through a fine sieve into a bowl and press firmly to extract all of the liquid.
3. Discard any remaining pulp.
4. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and pepper to taste.
5. Add the strained corn puree, egg yolk, whole egg and whisk until smooth.
6. Add the heavy cream until there is a consistency of pancake batter.
7. Add in the apple, orange zest and remaining corn kernels.
8. Place the batter in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
9. Heat your griddle pan or frying pan with butter and oil until sizzling.
10. Ladle on 2 TBS. of batter, about the size of a silver dollar.
11. Cook over a medium heat until bubbles appear, then flip over and cook one minute more, until golden.

Additions: Place baked Virginia ham, crab meat, or crème fraiche on top of corn cake and serve.  Serves 6 -8

Floral, Herb, Fruit and Citrus Decorative Ice Sticks and Cubes

Dress up your iced teas, cold drinks and cocktails with easy to make flavor enhanced ice sticks and decorative shaped cubes.  Not only will your libations look great they will taste extra special too.

Step One: Using any silicone shaped ice tray fill the bottom one third with any nonalcoholic liquid of your choice ~ tea, water, juice, etc.  Allow to freeze.

Step Two:  Place the edible flowers, herbs, fruits or citrus rinds of your choice on top of the frozen liquid.  Do not fill to the top.  Allow to freeze.

Step Three: Add remaining liquid to the top. Allow to freeze.

Step Four:  Remove from silicone mold and set into a frosted glass to serve immediately.

Roses, Rosemary, Lavender, Thyme

Mint, Raspberries, Blueberries

Edible Roses

AMAZON LINKS:

Bilhom Light Blue Stackable, dishwasher safe Ice Stick Tray with Lid sold by REFINED2

$18.99 / 4 trays.

Cy3Lf Silicone Mini Heart Shape Ice Cube Trays $8.99/2 trays

© Ellen Easton ~All Rights Reserved