Lightly Creamed Corn with Summer Mushrooms
Miller Union, Atlanta
When people ask JBF Chefs Boot Camp for Policy and Change alum Steven Satterfield for the best way to start reducing their food waste at home, one of his first tips is to make soup of your leftover trimmings. This recipe, from Satterfield's Root to Leaf (Harper Wave 2015) incorporates a vegetarian broth based on corncobs, which serves as the base for a vibrant creamed corn side.
Satterfield says: "Creamed corn is a Southern summer icon. I love it the simple, old-fashioned way, but it can sometimes be a bit heavy. Rather than encumber it with a thick, buttery rou, I prefer to lighten it with a mixture of my corncob broth, to offset the milk and cream. A hint of tarragon and some chanterelles—or whatever summer mushrooms you can gather–make this version more sophisticated." He serves it alongside duck breast with a blueberry mostarda (the complete recipe is available in Root to Leaf).
Ingredients
Sweet Corncob Broth: (makes about 2 quarts)
- 6 corncobs, kernels removed for other use
- 2 to 3 shallots, skin on, halved
- 1 onion, skin on, quartered
- A few garlic cloves
- A few celery ribs, including leaves, roughly chopped
- Mushroom stems from cleaning mushrooms
- Herb stems such as parsley, tarragon, and thyme
- 12 black peppercorns, slightly crushed
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
To serve:
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup loosely packed torn chanterelles, oyster mushrooms, or a mix of mushrooms, stems reserved
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 small shallot, minced
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 3 cups fresh corn kernels
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 2 to 3 tablespoons sweet corncob broth
- 1 teaspoon thinly sliced fresh chives
Method
Make the sweet corncob broth: put all of the ingredients into a large pot and cover with 10 cups of water. Bring the pot to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the broth is flavorful, at least 1 hour. Pour the broth through a fine-mesh sieve, then chill or freeze for later use.
Prepare the mushrooms: in a medium skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté them until lightly browned. Add the butter, garlic, and shallots and season the mixture lightly with salt and pepper.
Add the corn and sauté 1 minute more. Add the milk, cream, and corncob broth, and cook until the sauce reduces by half. Taste for seasoning and add the chives just before serving.
Yield
6 to 8 servings
