Polenta with Fresh Corn, Monterey Jack Cheese, Sautéed Onions and Mushrooms

by Kathy Douglas | Aug 14, 2017 | Side Dishes

Sweet corn is at its peak, so take advantage with this recipe highlighting Polenta and sautéed sweet corn. Polenta refers to a porridge created from coarsely ground Italian cornmeal and is a dish from Northern Italy. We top off this summer delicacy with butter sautéed sweet vidalia onions and mushrooms. In this recipe, we feature an easy corn stock to make for the Polenta to add just a touch more corn sweetness. If you have an extra hour – give it a try. We promise you won’t be sorry. No time to make stock? To keep it vegetarian, use boxed vegetable stock, or we also offer the option of boxed chicken stock.

INGREDIENTS
4 ears of corn still in husks (about 4-5 pounds)
4 ½ cups corn stock (see easy recipe below), vegetable stock, or chicken stock
Box of instant polenta – 4 servings, we prefer Delallo
6 tablespoons of unsalted butter, extra if needed
4 tablespoons grape seed or canola oil
8 ounces cremini mushrooms
2 cups thinly slice vidalia or sweet onion
2 teaspoons of fresh thyme, divided
Kosher salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1 cup Parmesan cheese
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack Cheese

INSTRUCTIONS
Remove the husks and silks from the corncobs. Using a sharp knife cut the corn kernels off the cobs. Place the kernels in a bowl, cover, and set aside. Discard the silks but save the husks and cobs if making corn stock (see directions below). If using vegetable or chicken stock, measure to the amount of liquid needed on the package of polenta, (note: the stock replaces the water needed to make polenta) cover, and gently heat to warm in a large saucepan.

In a 10″ sauté pan heated to medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of butter with 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the corn and 1 teaspoon of salt. Sauté until the raw taste is gone from the corn, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover and keep warm.

In a 12″ sauté pan over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of oil. When hot, add the mushrooms in one layer and sear on each side, about 1 minute per side. Add the onions over the mushrooms and sprinkle the onions with a teaspoon of salt. Then stir together and sauté for 5 minutes or until all the juices have evaporated. Reduce the heat to low, add 1 teaspoon of fresh thyme, and cook on low until the onions are browned all over and softened. Add salt and pepper to taste.

In the meantime, turn the heat up on the stock and bring it to a boil – if the stock has evaporated too much, simply add water to the amount needed to prepare the polenta. Prepare the polenta using the directions on the package. When all the water is evaporated and the Polenta is soft, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the Parmesan cheese. Stir until the polenta is creamy. If needed, add more butter, one tablespoon at a time, up to two tablespoons, to reach a creamy texture. Stir in the corn and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Place the Polenta in warmed bowls, top with 2 tablespoons of Monterey Jack cheese then the sautéed mushrooms and onions. Top evenly with the remaining fresh thyme. Makes 4 entrée servings or six side servings.

Corn Stock
INGREDIENTS
Corn husks and cobs from 4 ears of corn, cobs cut in half, discard silks
Small white onion cut in quarters
Kosher salt
10 peppercorns

INSTRUCTIONS
Place the corn husks, cobs, and onion in a large saucepan. Add 8 cups water and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for one hour. Strain the stock into a clean pan or bowl through a fine mesh strainer and discard the husks, cobs, and onion. Place the strained liquid back on the stove and add 1 teaspoon of salt and the peppercorns. Bring the mixture back to a simmer and reduce until you have 4-1/2 cups of liquid remaining – about 15-20 minutes. Cover and keep warm.

Roasted Vegetables, Orzo & Pine Nuts

by Kathy Douglas | May 23, 2017 | Side Dishes

It’s time to picnic, and we have the perfect pasta salad. Delicious roasted vegetables are lightly dressed with a fruity olive oil and lemon juice, then topped with fragrant basil leaves. We also added crunchy toasted pine nuts for a great texture boost. Food safe at all temperatures – warm, room temperature, or cold – you can choose how you want to serve it. For a Gluten-Free version, try substituting with Gluten-Free Delallo Orzo Pasta.

INGREDIENTS
½ cup pine nuts
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
20 asparagus, tough ends removed, cut into 1 ½ inch pieces
4 tablespoons of olive oil
Kosher salt
4 green onions, white and green parts cut into ½” pieces
½ yellow bell pepper, cut into ½” pieces
½ red bell pepper, cut into ½” pieces
1 medium eggplant, skin removed, cut into 1” cubes
1 cup of Orzo Pasta, regular or gluten free
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice
Zest of one lemon
¼ cup basil leaves, torn into small pieces
Fresh ground pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the pine nuts on a baking sheet. Bake for 7-9 minutes or until the nuts turn golden. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Place the tomatoes and asparagus in a bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a big pinch of salt. Gently toss to combine well. Pour onto a sheet tray and bake for 10 minutes shaking the pan in between. Remove from the oven and add the vegetables to another large bowl. Leave the remaining oil in the pan.

In the first bowl, add the onions and peppers. Add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil and a big pinch of salt. Gently toss to combine well. Pour onto the sheet tray and bake for 15 minutes. Using a spatula, turn the vegetables over at the halfway point. Remove from the oven and add the vegetables to the large bowl with the asparagus and tomatoes. Leave the remaining oil in the pan.

In the first bowl, add the cubed eggplant. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a big pinch of salt. Gently toss to combine well. Pour onto the sheet tray and bake for 20 minutes. Using a spatula, turn the eggplant over at the halfway point. Remove from the oven and add the eggplant and any remaining olive oil to the large bowl with the other vegetables.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a handful of salt and cook the pasta following the package directions. Strain the water off and add the pasta to the vegetables. Toss gently to combine. Add the lemon juice, zest, toasted pine nuts and 1 more tablespoon of olive oil. Gently mix again. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Stir in the basil leaves.

Corn Risotto with Basil Oil

by Kathy Douglas | Sep 27, 2015 | Side Dishes

Celebrate Fall with the delicious combination of fresh corn, parmesan cheese and basil. You can substitute frozen corn in this recipe, but fresh corn is worth the extra effort of cutting it off the cob. You will have left over basil oil but it can be used on a salad, roasted vegetables, or drizzled over tomatoes, cheese or pizza.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup grape seed oil
2 cups fresh basil leaves
4 cups unsalted chicken stock
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallots, minced
2 cups fresh corn kernels or frozen, defrosted
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons hand-torn basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS
To make the Basil Oil – heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add the basil leaves and remove from the heat. Let the oil and basil leaves cool completely. Pour into a Vitamix or Blender and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Do not push on the solids to force the oil through the strainer. Throw any solids away and set the basil oil aside. (You can store any leftover basil oil in the refrigerator for up to six weeks.)

To make the Risotto – in a medium saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a light simmer over moderately heat. Cover and keep warm.

In a 12″ sauté pan, melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat, then add the corn, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the corn edges turn lightly browned. Remove from the heat and set aside. Cover and keep warm.

In a 4 quart sauce pan heat 1 tablespoon of butter with the olive oil over medium heat and then add the shallots and cook over medium heat until softened about 2-3 minutes. Add the rice and stir until the grains are thoroughly coated with fat about 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and continue stirring until the wine has almost evaporated. Add 1 cup of the stock to the rice and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the stock has been absorbed. Continue to add stock, 1 cup at a time, stirring the risotto until the stock is absorbed before adding another cup. When there is 1 cup of stock remaining, check the risotto. If the risotto is finished it should be just tender, give easy to the bite, and the sauce should be creamy. If it is not ready, at this point add the stock 1/2 cup at a time until the risotto is finished. (You may not need all the stock.) The risotto should take 20-24 minutes total. When the risotto is finished stir in the 2/3 of the corn, Parmesan cheese, and the remaining 2 tablespoon of butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper, scoop into serving bowls. Garnish each bowl with some of the remaining corn, a drizzle (1-1/2 teaspoons) of Basil Oil, the basil leaves and serve immediately.