Fresh corn polenta: a love story.
I discovered you this time last year. I was out to eat. You were in my bowl, melting beneath red wine braised short ribs. You were the very best polenta I had ever tasted, your sweet corn flavor discernible even through the brothy meat smothering you.
How could this be, I wondered? I chalked it up to lots of butter and cheese and the sort of restaurant trickery that just can’t be duplicated at home. And so I forgot about you. For a whole year. Tragic! Fresh corn polenta: I’m so happy you’re back in my life. And in my home no less, this time for good.
This is the sort of recipe I want to tell everyone about. I want to call all of my friends and family. I want to spark up conversation with people in checkout lines, knock on my neighbors’ doors, stop strangers in the street. It is so good and much to my surprise calls for no sort of restaurant magic — just a box grater, a little butter, and a sauté pan.
It’s the kind of thing I could eat every night for dinner, and this week I basically have. I love it with sautéed greens or with a poached egg or just on its own with some cracked pepper and parmesan cheese. Before the season ends, I hope to try it with some sautéed mushrooms, too, which is how they serve it at La Toque , the source of this wonderful recipe.
You’ll discover it takes no time to whip up, just a little elbow grease during preparations — grating the ears of corn can be tiring. With that in mind, this is not a dish to make for company. It is the perfect dinner-for-1 or-2. It is simple and delicious. It is restaurant worthy certainly, but comfort food at its core. And I hope it will leave you wondering, as it has left me, where have you been all my life?
Fresh Corn Polenta, Step by Step
First gather your corn.
You’ll need two ears for this recipe, but scale it up as needed, keeping in mind grating corn on a box grater is a bit of an arm workout.
Grate the corn into a large bowl.
Melt two teaspoons of butter in a small skillet over medium heat.
Add the corn, season with salt…
… and cook for 3 minutes.
For the blistered tomatoes: place a pint of cherry tomatoes in a small skillet.
Toss with olive oil, salt, and garlic, and broil for 15 minutes.
Add fresh basil out of the oven.
Spoon the jammy tomatoes over the fresh corn polenta.
Finish with fresh parmesan and pepper to taste, if you wish.
Also delicious with a poached egg on top.
Description
Original recipe hails from La Toque, where they serve it with sautéed chanterelles. Yum.
This is also delicious topped with a poached egg or aside sautéed greens .
For the polenta:
- 2 ears corn
- 2 teaspoons butter
- kosher salt or flaky sea salt
For the blistered tomatoes:
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- kosher salt or flaky sea salt
- a handful of fresh basil
For finishing:
- grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- fresh cracked pepper to taste
- If you’re making the blistered tomatoes , prep them first. Heat the broiler to high.
- Place the tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic in a small skillet or oven-safe dish. Season with a pinch of salt, then toss to coat. Transfer pan to the broiler and broil for 10 to 15 minutes, checking every five minutes — if the tomatoes are blistering within 5 minutes, lower the rack. Ultimately the tomatoes should be both blistered and jammy.
- Remove pan from the broiler, and stir in the handful of basil.
- Meanwhile, clean the corn, removing all husks and threads . Working over a large bowl, grate the kernels off of the cob on the coarse side of a box grater. You will have a very wet coarse pulpy mixture.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the grated corn and season with a good pinch of salt. Simmer over low heat, stirring to prevent browning, for about 3 minutes. The mixture is ready when it just begins to thicken and set.
- Spoon the polenta into a serving bowl. Top with the jammy, blistered tomatoes. Top with some grated Parmigiano Reggiano and pepper to taste if you wish.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Fresh corn polenta: a love story.
I discovered you this time last year. I was out to eat. You were in my bowl, melting beneath red wine braised short ribs. You were the very best polenta I had ever tasted, your sweet corn flavor discernible even through the brothy meat smothering you.
How could this be, I wondered? I chalked it up to lots of butter and cheese and the sort of restaurant trickery that just can’t be duplicated at home. And so I forgot about you. For a whole year. Tragic! Fresh corn polenta: I’m so happy you’re back in my life. And in my home no less, this time for good.
This is the sort of recipe I want to tell everyone about. I want to call all of my friends and family. I want to spark up conversation with people in checkout lines, knock on my neighbors’ doors, stop strangers in the street. It is so good and much to my surprise calls for no sort of restaurant magic — just a box grater, a little butter, and a sauté pan.
It’s the kind of thing I could eat every night for dinner, and this week I basically have. I love it with sautéed greens or with a poached egg or just on its own with some cracked pepper and parmesan cheese. Before the season ends, I hope to try it with some sautéed mushrooms, too, which is how they serve it at La Toque , the source of this wonderful recipe.
You’ll discover it takes no time to whip up, just a little elbow grease during preparations — grating the ears of corn can be tiring. With that in mind, this is not a dish to make for company. It is the perfect dinner-for-1 or-2. It is simple and delicious. It is restaurant worthy certainly, but comfort food at its core. And I hope it will leave you wondering, as it has left me, where have you been all my life?
Fresh Corn Polenta, Step by Step
First gather your corn.
You’ll need two ears for this recipe, but scale it up as needed, keeping in mind grating corn on a box grater is a bit of an arm workout.
Grate the corn into a large bowl.
Melt two teaspoons of butter in a small skillet over medium heat.
Add the corn, season with salt…
… and cook for 3 minutes.
For the blistered tomatoes: place a pint of cherry tomatoes in a small skillet.
Toss with olive oil, salt, and garlic, and broil for 15 minutes.
Add fresh basil out of the oven.
Spoon the jammy tomatoes over the fresh corn polenta.
Finish with fresh parmesan and pepper to taste, if you wish.
Also delicious with a poached egg on top.
Description
Original recipe hails from La Toque, where they serve it with sautéed chanterelles. Yum.
This is also delicious topped with a poached egg or aside sautéed greens .
For the polenta:
- 2 ears corn
- 2 teaspoons butter
- kosher salt or flaky sea salt
For the blistered tomatoes:
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- kosher salt or flaky sea salt
- a handful of fresh basil
For finishing:
- grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- fresh cracked pepper to taste
- If you’re making the blistered tomatoes , prep them first. Heat the broiler to high.
- Place the tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic in a small skillet or oven-safe dish. Season with a pinch of salt, then toss to coat. Transfer pan to the broiler and broil for 10 to 15 minutes, checking every five minutes — if the tomatoes are blistering within 5 minutes, lower the rack. Ultimately the tomatoes should be both blistered and jammy.
- Remove pan from the broiler, and stir in the handful of basil.
- Meanwhile, clean the corn, removing all husks and threads . Working over a large bowl, grate the kernels off of the cob on the coarse side of a box grater. You will have a very wet coarse pulpy mixture.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the grated corn and season with a good pinch of salt. Simmer over low heat, stirring to prevent browning, for about 3 minutes. The mixture is ready when it just begins to thicken and set.
- Spoon the polenta into a serving bowl. Top with the jammy, blistered tomatoes. Top with some grated Parmigiano Reggiano and pepper to taste if you wish.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Fresh corn polenta: a love story.
I discovered you this time last year. I was out to eat. You were in my bowl, melting beneath red wine braised short ribs. You were the very best polenta I had ever tasted, your sweet corn flavor discernible even through the brothy meat smothering you.
How could this be, I wondered? I chalked it up to lots of butter and cheese and the sort of restaurant trickery that just can’t be duplicated at home. And so I forgot about you. For a whole year. Tragic! Fresh corn polenta: I’m so happy you’re back in my life. And in my home no less, this time for good.
This is the sort of recipe I want to tell everyone about. I want to call all of my friends and family. I want to spark up conversation with people in checkout lines, knock on my neighbors’ doors, stop strangers in the street. It is so good and much to my surprise calls for no sort of restaurant magic — just a box grater, a little butter, and a sauté pan.
It’s the kind of thing I could eat every night for dinner, and this week I basically have. I love it with sautéed greens or with a poached egg or just on its own with some cracked pepper and parmesan cheese. Before the season ends, I hope to try it with some sautéed mushrooms, too, which is how they serve it at La Toque , the source of this wonderful recipe.
You’ll discover it takes no time to whip up, just a little elbow grease during preparations — grating the ears of corn can be tiring. With that in mind, this is not a dish to make for company. It is the perfect dinner-for-1 or-2. It is simple and delicious. It is restaurant worthy certainly, but comfort food at its core. And I hope it will leave you wondering, as it has left me, where have you been all my life?
Fresh Corn Polenta, Step by Step
First gather your corn.
You’ll need two ears for this recipe, but scale it up as needed, keeping in mind grating corn on a box grater is a bit of an arm workout.
Grate the corn into a large bowl.
Melt two teaspoons of butter in a small skillet over medium heat.
Add the corn, season with salt…
… and cook for 3 minutes.
For the blistered tomatoes: place a pint of cherry tomatoes in a small skillet.
Toss with olive oil, salt, and garlic, and broil for 15 minutes.
Add fresh basil out of the oven.
Spoon the jammy tomatoes over the fresh corn polenta.
Finish with fresh parmesan and pepper to taste, if you wish.
Also delicious with a poached egg on top.
Description
Original recipe hails from La Toque, where they serve it with sautéed chanterelles. Yum.
This is also delicious topped with a poached egg or aside sautéed greens .
For the polenta:
- 2 ears corn
- 2 teaspoons butter
- kosher salt or flaky sea salt
For the blistered tomatoes:
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- kosher salt or flaky sea salt
- a handful of fresh basil
For finishing:
- grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- fresh cracked pepper to taste
- If you’re making the blistered tomatoes , prep them first. Heat the broiler to high.
- Place the tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic in a small skillet or oven-safe dish. Season with a pinch of salt, then toss to coat. Transfer pan to the broiler and broil for 10 to 15 minutes, checking every five minutes — if the tomatoes are blistering within 5 minutes, lower the rack. Ultimately the tomatoes should be both blistered and jammy.
- Remove pan from the broiler, and stir in the handful of basil.
- Meanwhile, clean the corn, removing all husks and threads . Working over a large bowl, grate the kernels off of the cob on the coarse side of a box grater. You will have a very wet coarse pulpy mixture.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the grated corn and season with a good pinch of salt. Simmer over low heat, stirring to prevent browning, for about 3 minutes. The mixture is ready when it just begins to thicken and set.
- Spoon the polenta into a serving bowl. Top with the jammy, blistered tomatoes. Top with some grated Parmigiano Reggiano and pepper to taste if you wish.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
Original recipe hails from La Toque, where they serve it with sautéed chanterelles. Yum.
This is also delicious topped with a poached egg or aside sautéed greens .
For the polenta:
- 2 ears corn
- 2 teaspoons butter
- kosher salt or flaky sea salt
For the blistered tomatoes:
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- kosher salt or flaky sea salt
- a handful of fresh basil
For finishing:
- grated Parmigiano Reggiano
- fresh cracked pepper to taste
- If you’re making the blistered tomatoes , prep them first. Heat the broiler to high.
- Place the tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic in a small skillet or oven-safe dish. Season with a pinch of salt, then toss to coat. Transfer pan to the broiler and broil for 10 to 15 minutes, checking every five minutes — if the tomatoes are blistering within 5 minutes, lower the rack. Ultimately the tomatoes should be both blistered and jammy.
- Remove pan from the broiler, and stir in the handful of basil.
- Meanwhile, clean the corn, removing all husks and threads . Working over a large bowl, grate the kernels off of the cob on the coarse side of a box grater. You will have a very wet coarse pulpy mixture.
- Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the grated corn and season with a good pinch of salt. Simmer over low heat, stirring to prevent browning, for about 3 minutes. The mixture is ready when it just begins to thicken and set.
- Spoon the polenta into a serving bowl. Top with the jammy, blistered tomatoes. Top with some grated Parmigiano Reggiano and pepper to taste if you wish.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Find it online : https://alexandracooks.com/2010/10/18/fresh-corn-polenta-where-have-you-been-all-my-life/
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I haven’t been drawn to a recipe like this in awhile. It’s not that butternut squash with sage brown butter doesn’t sound insanely delicious — seriously, what sounds better this time of year? — it’s just that these days my brain surrenders and my eyes cross when I see too many steps in a recipe. I’m better off sticking to quick and easy (also insanely delicious).
But if you’re in the mood for this sort of thing — for planning, thinking, going all out to capture the essence of the season in a single dish — this is the recipe for you. You won’t be disappointed. Lidia Bastianich nailed it. Just as I was feeling the slightest bit uninspired, the October Bon Appetit arrived in my mailbox. Five minutes later, I ran out the door to buy a ricer , which has been on my wishlist for months. I had been told a ricer would change my life. So far, it has.
Description
This recipe along with a few others I am dying to try appeared in the October 2010 Bon Appetit. If you’re feeling even the slightest bit uninspired, this is a good little spread to check out.
- 1 1-pound butternut squash
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 – 2 12- to 14-ounce russet potato, peeled, quartered
- 3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
- 1 large egg, beaten to blend
- 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 3/4 cups (or more) all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup ( 1 stick) butter (I used less)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- Additional grated Parmesan cheese
Special Equipment:
- Potato ricer (I bet a food mill would work well, too.)
Notes:
It helps to really read the recipe thoroughly before beginning.
You will have tons of leftover butternut squash.
I needed about 2 potatoes to get 2 cups.
I find it easier to cook gnocchi in small batches, so I think this meal makes a better dinner-for-two than a dinner-for-a-crowd. After I filled up one sheetpan with shaped gnocchi, I stuck in the freezer. After an hour or so, I scooped all of the gnocchi into a Ziplock bag and stored it in the freezer, where it now awaits for a future dinner.
Seeing how a friend and I polished off half the gnocchi in a single sitting, I feel the recipe more accurately serves 4.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut squash lengthwise in half; discard seeds. Place squash halves, cut side up, on baking sheet and brush with oil. Roast until squash is very tender when pierced with skewer and browned in spots, about 1 1/2 hours. Cool slightly. Scoop flesh from squash into processor; puree until smooth. Transfer to medium saucepan; stir constantly over medium heat until juices evaporate and puree thickens, about 5 minutes. Cool. Measure 1 cup (packed) squash puree (reserve remaining squash for another use). Note: This can be made several days in advance.
Meanwhile, cook potato in medium saucepan of boiling salted water until very tender, less than 20 minutes. Drain. While potato is warm, press through potato ricer into medium bowl; cool completely. Measure 2 cups (loosely packed) riced potato (reserve remaining potato for another use).
Mix squash, potato, 1/2 cup Parmesan, egg, nutmeg, and salt in large bowl. Gradually add 1 3/4 cups flour, kneading gently into mixture in bowl until dough holds together and is almost smooth. If dough is very sticky, add more flour by tablespoonfuls. Turn dough out onto floured surface; knead gently but briefly just until smooth. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces.
Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Sprinkle parchment lightly with flour. Working with 1 dough piece at a time, roll dough out on floured surface to about 1/2-inch-thick rope. Cut rope crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time, roll gnocchi along back of fork tines dipped in flour, making ridges on 1 side. Transfer gnocchi to baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD Can be made 6 hours ahead. Keep chilled. Note: Gnocchi can be frozen at this point – freeze them first on a sheetpan, then transfer them to a Ziplock to prevent them from sticking together.
Working in 2 batches, cook gnocchi in large pot of boiling salted water until very tender, 15 to 17 minutes (gnocchi will float to surface but may come to surface before being fully cooked). Using slotted spoon, transfer gnocchi to same parchment-lined baking sheets. Cool. DO AHEAD Can be made 8 hours ahead. Cover loosely and chill. Note: It was hard for me to tell when they were done. I cooked them for about 12 minutes — I took one out, tasted it, and went with it.)
Cook butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat just until golden, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes. Add sage; stir 1 minute. Add gnocchi; cook until heated through and coated with butter, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Serve with additional Parmesan. Note: Unless you have an enormous pan, it’s easier to cook the gnocchi and butter in smaller batches. Half of this recipe in one pan is doable.
