David Chang's Roasted Corn

I've been rushing to get this damn post done because you've gotta try this dish before summer is over and fresh corn is gone for the season.  My friend Eric (of Moscow Mule fame) sent me a Facebook message back in July, and here's what he told me:

Have been thinking about your butter-sauteed corn with cilantro. Am sitting at the bar at Momofuku Noodle; Chang's doing the same thing with roasted corn, bacon, cotija, scallions, parsley. Superb. I LOVE summer. (Though as a jersey boy, I can say, still too soon for corn)

Um, yes, please.  Naturally, I was excited for anything involving corn and bacon but, more importantly, this was a corn dish I could make for MC (my mother-in-law) that didn't involve cilantro.  No one hates cilantro like MC, believe me.  So I made this first while at her place in Oregon, throwing in everything, measuring nothing.  Then I came home and came up with a recipe.

It manages to be hearty yet light, subtle yet flavorful.  I have to confess that if I didn't have a family to cook for and I was making something for just myself, I'd probably make this dish, put it in a bowl, and that would be it.  Drunk with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc in front of Downton Abbey...

David Chang's Roasted Corn* **

Serves 4 as a side dish

Ingredients:

5 ears of corn, shucked 

4 slices of bacon, roughly chopped

1 medium shallot, medium diced

1 scallion, thinly sliced

1 tbsp parsley, finely chopped

1/2 c. cotija cheese, crumbled (substitute with ricotta salata or feta, if needed/desired)

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

• Heat a stovetop castiron grill (or for you lucky people in the 'burbs, heat your outdoor barbecue) on medium-high heat.  Rub corn lightly with olive oil.  Place on grill.
• Heat medium stainless saute pan over medium-high heat.  Chop bacon and add to pan.  Cook until just-crisp and browned.  With a slotted spoon, remove bacon from pan onto a plate lined with paper towels.  Lower flame to medium-low heat.
• Leaving the bacon fat in the pan, add shallots.  Saute until tender - be careful not to burn them.  Take off the heat.
• Meanwhile, once corn is browned and has a slight sheen to it, remove from the grill and let cool.  Using a sharp chef's knife, cut kernels from the cob and add to a large bowl.
• Add reserved bacon, scallions, parsley, shallots, lime juice, and cheese to the bowl.  Toss.  Taste for seasoning, and add salt and pepper as needed.

So easy, right?  We served this alongside seared tuna dusted with sweet paprika (recipe).

I'm seriously planning on making this two or three more times before the summer's over.  And I don't mean to be bossy, but so should you.

Eat, drink, and who needs a fancy restaurant?


(NOTE: After posting this, I found an actual recipe for Momofuku's corn: Corn with Bacon and Miso Butter. I'll try the miso butter next time, for certain...but I have to admit that I like my addition of lime.  And Eric was specific in Momofuku's use of cotija.  So, in summation, this is absolutely one of those recipes you can adapt to your own tastes and change up as you please!  Try anything - this is damn near foolproof.)

* That's what it has become known as in my house.  Better than those ridiculously long titles that everyone's using now that list every single one of the ingredients, right?  Can you imagine?  "Roasted Corn with Bacon, Shallots, Parsley, and Scallions"?  Um, no.

** This is officially the first recipe I've ever made up on my own, including all the notations and measurements.  So I'm a little nervous.  If you notice anything off here, let me know.  I'll use you as my official recipe testers!

Hello, Summer!

You guys!  I'm FINALLY home and I'm FINALLY done with conference season at work!  Most of you have been entrenched in summer for a few weeks but mine is starting now.  Um, to say I'm excited is an understatement to the nth degree.

But let's start at the beginning: as most of you know, I was at the American Library Association conference in New Orleans last week: 7 days and 6 nights.  That is a lot of eating out in restaurants, airports, and hotels.  So when I got home, all I wanted was a simple, fresh, home-cooked meal that was both satisfying and light.  And even a bit cleansing.

So I went with one of my favorites: Tuna with Butter-Warmed Corn Kernels.  Which I've actually posted here in the past.  What's funny is that when I initially posted this recipe, I was in the middle of a summer meltdown: it was late August and I was soooo over the heat and humidity.  I was trying to stick with no-heat meals and this one was perfect.  So isn't it wonderful that now I can post this in the opposite frame of mind?  Instead of fighting summer's heat, I am embracing all that summer entails: vacation, sunbathing, watermelon mojitos (because that's what I'm drinking while I write this), lounging on the roof deck, and...no conferences!

And in my joyous and celebratory frame of mind, I give you Tuna with Espelette Pepper and Butter-Warmed Corn with Cilantro, courtesy of Patricia Wells' Vegetable Harvest:

Click here for full recipes (you're clicking through to my original blog post).  Again, feel free to substitute smoked paprika for the espelette pepper.  And feel free to substitute and improvise!  Can't stand the taste of cilantro (Hi, MC and Gillian!)?  Try parsley or basil*.

When I initially posted this recipe, I drank it with a Riesling**.  But right now I am completely high on Vinho Verde and my particular favorite is this one:

It's Ouro Verde Vinho Verde (Portugal) and I get it from Fresh Direct for $6.99 - it's my summer go-to.  It's slightly effervescent,citrus-bright, and dry.  It paired perfectly.

I can't even tell you how thrilled I am to be back here with all of you, ready to start my summer, and sharing my favorite recipes and drinks.  Cheers!

Eat, drink, and celebrate summer!


* These recommendations are courtesy of the outstanding The Flavor Bible by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page.  I've mentioned it here a gazillion times but it needs to be mentioned again.  Just go buy it.


** Ditto for this one.  The Riesling recommendation came from What to Drink with What You Eat, also by Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page.  Your personal cookbook library is NOT complete without either of these books, in my opinion.

Flashback: June 2010

I'm losing it.  Seriously losing it.  For anyone living in a bubble, the Northeast has been hit exceptionally hard with storms so far in the New Year - I had no idea when I moved here four years ago that it could turn into Buffalo, New York, Jr.  It's pretty bad.  Both the weather and my Seasonal Affective Disorder.

So I was going through my past photos, just reminiscing and printing some of them.  And I found photos from this wonderful family dinner we had last year in June:

FISH TACOS!!!

I sprinkled some of my sister-in-law's "Magic Dust"* on the fish (I think I used sole) and pan-grilled them on the stove.  I finished it with cabbage, salsa, sour cream, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice.  Then I poured a little Lillet on ice:

Bug helped:

We ate on the balcony and finished it with a little dancing out there:

Eat, drink, and look forward to sunny days again.

* How awesome is my sister-in-law?  She makes me rubs as gifts!  "Magic Dust" has the following (per the label she included): paprika, kosher salt, sugar, mustard powder, chili powder, cumin, black pepper, granulated garlic, cayenne