Creole Sauteed Corn

By mz0926

From Cook's Country

August/September 2009
Why this recipe works:
By late summer, we’ve eaten so much corn on the cob that we’re ready for a fresh approach. Sautéed corn takes beautifully to any number of flavors; we had a Creole sautéed corn recipe in mind this time. For deep, porky flavor in every bite, we started our sauté with bacon. We added the aromatics, then sprinkled the reserved bacon over the final dish for texture and additional smoky flavor. Instead of sautéing the green pepper and garlic with onions, we chose scallions because they’re lighter and better suited to summer. Lightly browning the corn kernels lent a pleasant, nutty quality to our Creole Sautéed Corn. To meld the dish, we turned to the test kitchen technique for extracting pulp and milk from corn cobs. We ran the back of a chef’s knife down the stripped cobs and collected the juices, then added the corn pulp to the skillet with the kernels. Instantly, our sautéed corn seemed creamy, and the individual ingredients came together as a dish.

Ingredients

• Serves 4
• We like Tabasco here for heat and authentic Creole flavor.
• Ingredients6 medium ears corn
• 4 slices bacon, chopped fine
• 5 scallions, white parts chopped fine, green parts sliced thin
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped fine
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce (see note)
• Salt and pepper

Preparation

Step 1

Instructions
1. PREPARE CORN Following the "Get an Earful" step-by-step, cut kernels from cobs over large bowl and scrape remaining pulp into bowl with kernels. Set aside.


2. CRISP BACON Cook bacon in large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towel-lined plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet. Cook scallion whites and bell pepper in bacon fat until just softened, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.


3. BROWN CORN Add corn and corn pulp to skillet and cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Off heat, stir in scallion greens, parsley, thyme, hot sauce, and bacon. Season with salt and pepper. Serve.