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The three chefs featured in the second of NAL's three-part webinar series on corn: A Taste for Maize: More than Popcorn & Corn on the Cob! were kind enough to share these recipes.
Chef James “Jaycee” Couch
Corn Three Ways
Image provided by Chef Couch
Chef James “Jaycee” Couch is a graduate of the JNA Institution of Culinary Arts, James Madison University, and the famed CIA: Culinary Institute of America. He works at the Capital One headquarters in McLean, VA, at times alongside José Andrés for World Central Kitchen, and is available for private events.
Popcorn Crusted Salmon
2 salmon filets, six ounces each
1 cup popcorn, crushed
½ cup Panko crumbs
1 large egg
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Mix popcorn, Panko, dried parsley, salt, and lemon zest in a bowl until combined.
- In a small bowl, beat the egg.
- Dredge skin side of each salmon filet in egg, then press into Panko mixture.
- Transfer to a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes.
Yield: 2 Servings
Sweet Corn Puree
1 cup cooked corn
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon salt
1/3 cup heavy cream
- Mix all ingredients into Vitamix or immersion blender.
- Transfer to saucepan and heat until warm.
Fire-Roasted Corn Salad
2 ears of corn on the cob
1 Roma tomato, diced
½ small red onion, diced
2 tablespoons cilantro, minced
1 lime, squeezed
2 teaspoons salt
- On a grill or grill pan, grill corn until charred, then cut corn off the cob.
- Mix the corn with all remaining ingredients in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Chef Iris Veronica Jimenez
Corn Riguas
Image provided by Chef Jimenez
Chef Iris Veronica Jimenez is a chef and managing partner of the Centrado Group, as well as the Executive Chef at at Restaurant 198 in Burtonsville, MD and Chef, Culinary Director and Partner at La Casita Pupuseria at La Cosecha in Washington, D.C. Chef Jimenez studied at George Mason University and The Art Institutes and brings her knowledge of Salvadorean cuisine to a wide variety of settings from fast casual to fine dining.
Corn Riguas
3 cups corn, cut fresh off the cob (about 6-8 ears)
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Banana leaves
Prepare banana leaves. If frozen, defrost and clean with warm towel. Also, cut to size, depending on size of riguas.
- Using a sharp knife, slice down the cob to remove the kernels.
- Put corn in blender with sugar, salt, sour cream and butter. Blend until creamy.
- Since the taste of fresh corn always varies, taste mix and add more sugar or salt, if needed.
- Turn heat to medium high.
- Place a banana leaf in the pan, and top with 3 tablespoons of the corn blend. Spread the mixture into an oval shape and cover with another banana leaf.
- Once you can take the top banana leaf off without it sticking, flip the riguas.
- Cook 3-5 minutes longer.
- Serve warm on bottom banana leaf with cream or fresh cheese.
Yield: 10 servings
Atol de Elote
7 ears yellow corn
2¼ cups water
2 cups milk
½ cup water
¾ cup sugar
½ teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 stick cinnamon
- Cook yellow corn in water for about 4-6 minutes. Set some water aside.
- Using a sharp knife, slice down the cob to remove kernels.
- Puree corn kernels in blender, adding a little of the cooking water if needed to blend.
- Push the corn purée through a colander into a large saucepan. Discard any solid pieces left in the colander.
- Add the sugar and salt
- Pour over the boiling milk and water and bring to a boil over medium to high heat, stirring constantly
- Reduce heat, cover and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
- Mix cornstarch and ½ cup cold water together, then pour into the simmering liquid. Whisk until creamy.
- Serve the hot atol in cups or bowls. Sprinkle with cinnamon and fresh corn kernels.
Yield: 6 servings
Chef Freddie Bitsoie
Hominy salad
Photo by Rocky Luten, Prop Stylist: Brooke Deonarine, Food Stylist: Adrienne Anderson
Image used with permission of Chef Bitsoie
Chef Freddie Bitsoie is a Navajo (Diné) of the Tábąąhá Edgewater Clan, cook, author, and Food Network contributor. He is the former executive chef of Mitsitam Native Foods Café of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian. Bitsoie was previously the executive chef of the Navajo Nation’s Fire Rock Casino, near Gallup New Mexico and is a winner of the Smithsonian’s Native Chef Competition. Chef Bitsoie attended the University of New Mexico for anthropology and art history and studied culinary arts at the Scottsdale Culinary Institute.
Hominy Salad
4 strips bacon, diced
4 cups cooked hominy
1/4 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground sage
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cups loosely packed watercress
Zest and juice of two lemons
- In a medium sauté pan, render the bacon until crispy. Do not burn.
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the hominy, onion, bell pepper, parsley, and set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl combine, minced garlic, sage, salt, pepper, olive oil, lemon juice and zest and whisk together.
- Combine the hominy mixture with the oil and lemon juice mixture.
- Add the bacon and watercress and serve immediately.
Simple Red Chile Posole
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
3 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
1 pound pork shoulder, diced small
2 25-ounce cans of hominy (if cooked from dried, about two pounds of cooked hominy.)
24 ounces chicken stock
12 ounces red chile puree
- In a large sauce pan on medium heat, sweat the oil, onion, garlic, bay leaf, and oregano.
- Add the pork and sear, cook for about 3 minutes.
- Add the chicken stock and the red chile puree.
- Bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat to simmer.
- Reduce for about 45 mins, or until the liquid is thick.
- Serve hot. Garnish with sliced radish, cabbage, or scallions, if desired.