At the peak of corn season when you have some extra ears, hang them up to dry. I was thinking of something like Cope's Dried Sweet Corn, a childhood favorite from the Amish Country. If you can find it, absoltuely beautiful stewed or baked in a creamy casserole. But no reason not to DIY.
They come off the cob very easily. After hanging in the sun a few weeks. Just rub vigorously with both hands.
Then grind into a coarse meal. If you use a blender it will be much quicker. But I like the labor.
Then mix one cup of meal with 1 tablespoon fat. Butter would be great, but I'm out, so I used goose fat. Add a pinch or two of salt, a dab of baking powder, and a teaspoon of sugar.
Then but a spoonful into the well greased depressions of a munk pan (for abelskivers) and turn over when brown on one side. Cook them very well.
At the end they're very fragile - because there's no wheat flour, a little crunch and toothsome, but taste very much of sweet corn - not ground field corn, which is what you buy as cornmeal. I saved a cup or so and will try using it for breading fish or chicken, who knows? But this one is a keeper. Very unusual and delightful sublimation of corn. I bet it would go wonderfully in a casserole too. Add egg, cream, butter, and bake in a hot oven an hour or so. A rich corn pudding. But these are much quicker and very tasty.
these look and sound fantastic. i don't have an ableskiver pan, but wonder if i could do it like fritters in a cast iron skillet...
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! I think mine will be in the house we feed the birds and I can them thinking well wasn't that nice something more!
ReplyDeleteI have your book and I found a place that sells olives....I'm going to be making cured olived from your book....I can't wait.
Oh I'm getting enough to do the crack with the hammer and the other were you waited about a year. YUM to olives!
Margot, Absolutely! Cook it all as a whole in a skillet or little free form pancakes. Add egg though, I think that will keep it together better.
ReplyDeleteJane, RESIST a hammer! You will bash, when you want to gently crush. I still think it's not necessary. Much quicker though. But try whole if you can wait many months.
Ken, Thanks for the info. I don't know where I got the hammer from. I guess that is what I thought you were talking about in the book. I will use a glass jar or something. I'm doing both. I thought the cracked ones would be ready by Christmas something different for the holiday.
ReplyDeleteJane, I may very well have written hammer. It works if you tap very gently, Just to crack. And soak in regular water first, changing it often. When all the bitterness is gone, put in brine. It will be done in a few weeks. Long before Christmas. But I think they're better uncracked. Just takes a LOT longer.
ReplyDeleteThis looks delicious: after visiting our Iowa farmers' markets throughout the summer, I now have something new to do with all that corn I collect!
ReplyDelete