Replies

http://noteatingoutinny.com/2009/10/12/cranberry-and-corn-pancakes-with-rosemary/

Monday, October 12th, 2009
Cranberry and Corn Pancakes with Rosemary

I once ordered a stack of “harvest pancakes” from the menu of a small diner. They came to my table beautifully browned, light and fluffy, and studded with dried, sweetened cranberries and kernels of canned corn. Well, it’s “harvest time” now, and instead of reaching for these preserved legacies of previous ones, I’ll make use of the fresh bounty, with tart cranberries just in season and sweet corn on its last ears of the year.

I do have to thank that diner for giving me inspiration; I had never before seen corn in typical breakfast pancakes, fresh or not. I’d half-expected cornmeal blended into the batter for those. But this fall and late summer, I’ve been loading up on fresh ears of corn, as many recent recipes and photos can show. I’m impressed by how long they keep in the fridge. While the husks may dry out and the sprout of silk turn even browner, the kernels beneath seem to stay just as crisp. Weeks pass, and I might shuck a single ear here, and another there, to sprinkle in soup, succotash, pasta, or something weird like ice cream. I think the ear that was destined for these pancakes was three weeks past the day I picked them up at a farm stand.

It’s also high time for the fruit that has to be scooped from the bog: cranberries. More sour than sweet, these unique berries are packed with antioxidants for the oncoming cold weather. Contrary to what one might think, they don’t have to be cooked very long in order to burst with an intense red sludge. Two minutes on each side in a pan should do it, to be exact, and your pancakes will have a built-in syrup.

If you can remember one simple equation in your head, you’ll be set to make pancakes for the rest of your life. That is, 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk, 1 egg. 1 tablespoon sugar, give or take, and 1 teaspoon baking powder. Not so hard to get down, right? Then there are a couple minor details to round it out: 1/4 teaspoon baking soda in addition, which I’ve seen in recipes and have followed, guilelessly, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Now, you can add to that 1 cup of fresh cranberries, and kernels from 1 ear of corn, to make these. Whisk, ladle, and flip.

No, you don’t have to use buttermilk to make pancakes. It’s an attractive descriptor and we rarely see the word “pancake” without “buttermilk” nowadays, it seems. I think this is less because the taste of buttermilk is essential to good pancakes than because it just sounds good. Don’t get me wrong, buttermilk is great — it lends a slight tang. But you won’t miss it, really, if you’re just looking for pancakes. Plus, many people have regaled tales of this dilemma to me: they buy an ingredient, use it once, and never have another use for it until it goes bad. Buttermilk will do that to you. It’s also not the easiest grocery item to find. I’ve heard of substituting “sour milk” for buttermilk and have done so, too, adding a drop of vinegar to regular milk on the sly. So you can go ahead and do that, or substitute real buttermilk for the whole milk in this recipe below. I also sometimes like to replace a handful of rolled oats for its same weight in flour with pancakes, or go halfsies with a half-cup of whole wheat flour to a half-cup all-purpose. Do you like cornmeal? That can be factored into the equation as well. Or buckwheat — the choices are endless. I just wouldn’t exceed fifty percent of the “other” flour or grain in proportion to the all-purpose, in order to keep the pancakes light and fluffy.

The final flavor that was added to these pancakes was a hint of the wintery herb rosemary. Chopped very fine, these spindles’ oils migrate a bit throughout the batter, and especially sing if a few pieces sink enough to make direct contact with the pan. On afterthought, you could scatter a small handful onto the hot pan just after it’s been brushed with butter, and before ladling the pancake batter onto it. I’m not complaining though; for a cool, mid-October morning, this breakfast hit the spot. And there’s so many more left — for such a short time they took to prepare — I’ll be enjoying them again soon.

Cranberry and Corn Pancakes with Rosemary
(makes about 8 )

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg
1 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon light brown sugar (or substitute white sugar)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh cranberries (give or take)
kernels from 1 ear corn
1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
about 2 tablespoons butter

Beat the milk and egg in a bowl. Combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium-large bowl and make a well in the center. Add all the milk/egg mixture at once and gently whisk, turning the bowl as you go so that the sides spill a little more of the dry mixture into the wet. Once mixture is completely blended, and there are no lumps (about 4 minutes), add the corn, cranberries and rosemary.

Heat a large frying pan. Once hot, turn heat to medium and lightly brush a stick of butter in a circle in the center of the pan. Pour one ladleful of the batter into that center. Let cook without turning or touching for about 2 minutes, or until air bubbles have just begun to form in the center of the batter. Check underneath to see how golden the bottom of the pancake is, and if desired color, flip. Cook on opposite side about 2 minutes longer, and transfer to a plate. Repeat with the rest of the batter, and serve immediately (with optional toppings like maple syrup, butter, whipped cream, etc.).

Cost Calculator
(for 8 pancakes)

1 cup fresh cranberries (at $4/lb): $0.80
1 ear corn: $0.75
1/4 teaspoon fresh rosemary (from a bunch from CSA): $0.10
1 cup flour: $0.30
1 egg: $0.35
2 tablespoons butter: $0.25
1 tablespoon sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt, baking powder: $0.25

Total: $2.80

Health Factor

Four brownie points: Healthfulness can be sweet. I don’t typically put syrup on my pancakes, just ’cause I don’t see why I’d need to pour it on what I already find to be sweet enough, moist enough (the cranberries help), and basically satisfying enough. Of course, you don’t have forego this common topping, but if you’re looking to de-condition yourself out of some extra calories from sugar, I think you won’t have such a bad run of it with these jammy cranberry-studded pancakes. The berries alone are unique for having little sugar (comparably), and lots of Vitamin C as well as lycopene, as with most red-pigmented foods. The sweet corn adds folate, potassium and beta-carotene, as well as a little more sweetness. Try mixing the flour with some of the whole grains suggested above, like whole wheat or oats, for more nutritional boost.

Green Factor

Eight brownie points: You can get cranberries and corn anywhere, anytime, but they’ll only be fresh this time of year. In this case, they were fresh and organically grown at the farms where I picked them up on a recent trip to New England. People tend to travel this time of year a lot — I know I do, it’s great weather for getaways. Bringing home food souvenirs from farmstands is not only fun but a nice gesture to the local farms and economy. Also, cranberries are great for freezing, so don’t be afraid to load up.
Share |
Related articles:

* Cranberry Ginger Jam Thumbprints
* Sweet Corn and Honey Ice Cream
* Not-So-Strange Birds Part III: Cranberry Thai Curry Glazed Duck Breast with Coconut Mashed Potatoes
* Ris-Oat-O with Fresh Corn & Zucchini

http://noteatingoutinny.com/2009/09/09/sweet-corn-and-honey-ice-cream/

Wednesday, September 9th, 2009
Sweet Corn and Honey Ice Cream

I never did like candy corn. But this ice cream, at first lick, tastes a bit like the Halloween haunt. Perhaps I just got a heavy drizzle of honey stuck on my tongue with it (a main ingredient in candy corn). Then afterward, instead of a slightly sick feeling from the cloying, over-sweetness and gritty mouthfeel, the spoonful burst with the taste of fresh corn and pure creaminess. Sweet corn, sweet cream and sweet, wildflower honey. That’s my kind of candy this season.

It’s corn season, full-swing. Whether it’s grilled Mexican-style with mayonnaise, chile and lime, cut kernels studding salads, or just boiled and buttered, crisp corn is all around. I don’t think I know anyone who doesn’t like sweet corn on the cob. Kids and adults alike can’t seem to get enough of it. How strange, then, that this summertime treat is largely unheard of in Europe, for human consumption, at least.

sweet corn

Shucking corn always brings back memories of being given this chore before dinnertime as a child. I find just as much satisfaction today out of cracking off the tough outer husks and removing as much of the pillow of silk underneath them as possible as I did then. Each ear is created infinitely differently, I’d also taken away from those memories. Some have more tightly packed rows of kernels, some have more whitish kernels to yellow, randomly strewn; some have rows that twist, or look even more jumbled, like a game of checkers newly smeared. And all this is a mystery until you peel away the last, elastic sheaths of husk. Once revealed, some ears of corn are indeed just better — crisper, juicier, and more promising of sweetness. This corn happened to come to me from a small farm in Massachusetts, along with a carload of other organic goodies. But corn on the cob’s everywhere right now, and there isn’t a better way to enjoy them than extra-fresh from a farm stand. Trucking corn long distances may seem an easy feat — the husks and silk are built-in padding — but really crisp, juicy kernels can’t be beat, and that’s a sign of super-freshness.

wildflower honey

Since we’ve gotten enough of it grilled, boiled, buttered, or dressed in salads by now, early September, why not put corn in ice cream? I’m listening, my brain told me after that proposition. But I need something else, and I’m not sold on chile and lime in this. How about something else sweet? And something, for that matter, a little more local. Honey, now we’re talking.

I’ve been spoiled by good honey all summer. Thanks to all the buzz behind legalizing beekeeping in NYC, and the concern over the future of bees (and hence, the health of crops) given the dreadful CCD, honey is kind of all the rage. I have a comb hanging out in my cupboard, and half a jar from Queens County Farm Museum. Since waxy bits don’t sound like a great accoutrement to sweet cream, I went with the jar. Honey is also one of those fun, but wildly inappropriate things to measure out in a cup; a lot is left behind to lap up.

a worked-at comb

I garnished the top of my ice cream scoop with more honey and corn, but this recipe has so much of both that it’s hardly necessary. The corn kernels are steeped in the milk before it’s used to temper the beaten egg yolks and become a custard. The sugars are almost all replaced with honey, and corn. So the list of ingredients is short, and sweet.

Sweet Corn and Honey Ice Cream
(makes 1 quart)

3 cups half-and-half (or 1 1/2 cups heavy cream and 1 1/2 cups whole milk)
1/4-1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
kernels from 1 ear of corn

Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until lighter in color and fluffy. Combine the half and half and corn kernels in a medium saucepan. Bring just to a boil, stirring occasionally and turn off heat. Temper the egg yolk mixture by adding a small spoonfuls of the hot milk mixture at a time, while whisking, until about half a cup has been added. Transfer the egg mixture to the milk mixture in the saucepan and stir constantly while cooking over medium heat until the mixture is just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon (about 8 minutes). Do not let boil. Add the honey and stir to combine thoroughly. Cover in an airtight container and chill overnight.

Follow your ice cream maker’s machine to churn the ice cream.

Cost Calculator
(for 1 quart ice cream)

3 cups organic half-and-half (at $4.29/quart): $3.22
3 egg yolks (at $4/dozen): $0.50
1/4-1/3 cup honey (at $8/jar): $2.00
1 ear corn: $0.50
1/4 cup sugar: $0.15

Total: $6.37

Health Factor

Eight brownie points: Not only is honey hot high fructose corn syrup, like you’ll find in many store-bought ice cream brands, but it has a number of natural vitamins and minerals. So does fresh corn, another sweetening agent in this ice cream. I found that my batch of ice cream, using 1/3 cups of honey, was a tiny bit too sweet, so I added a little flexibility in the recipe above. Measure out to your own taste, especially if you’ll be drizzling more on afterward.

Green Factor

Eight maple leaves: Does that mean a tie? Actually, eight is not a good thing for the health factor, but that’s practically inavoidable, since it’s ice cream. Eight brownie points on the green scale is pretty good, meaning its ingredients have some sustainability cred. Here, the honey was local and the corn also from a small farm, but the milk was a grocery aisle organic brand.

http://noteatingoutinny.com/2010/10/03/ris-oat-o-with-fresh-corn-zucchini/

Ris-Oat-O with Fresh Corn & Zucchini

IMG_6872

We’re in a fall transitional time, when savory spoonfuls of something warm might appeal, but bright summer produce is still abound. I was going to make some oatmeal for breakfast, but this happened instead. Luckily, by the time these oat groats had softened, it was lunchtime, too.

There’s a stigma attached with risotto that it takes a long time and much labor to make. That’s a fair assumption when making risotto with short-grain rice, such as arborio. (Although I’d argue it’s well worth the twenty minutes of occasional stirring, as I’ve made many versions of this, one of my favorite dishes, here.) But when choosing whole-grain oats to swap in for the classic rice, it’s an understatement. So what is the advantage of using oats, you might be wondering by now? They have a wonderfully nutty texture, have whole-grain vitamins, like fiber, and they help lower bad cholesterol, like most oats. Whole oats with the bran still intact are very low on the glycemic index, meaning it’ll digest slower and give you energy more steadily.

IMG_6861oat groats

So consider the extra time you spend to cook them handsomely paid off. I came across these oat groats, or unhulled, whole oat grains, at Cayuga Organics’ stand at the Greenmarket. They didn’t have rolled oats, which I was looking for (for those oatmeal mornings), but the representative offered a bag of these instead. The grayish-brown, sharp, small pins were unlike any “oats” I had ever seen, but then, this was the pure, unadulterated version of the actual thing. “So it’s like steel-cut oats,” I began… except, they hadn’t been cut by steel. You can even sprout them if you wanted, the representative explained. They’re a living food. This was a selling point that went a little above my head, but I may have to try this out soon. I just discovered a little video that may help me out with this task, too.

IMG_6863fresh, skinny zucchini

IMG_6867corn sliced off the cob

So I went home and stood over a pot of these oats and cooked them into porridge-like risotto. When the oat groats were added to the pan after sweating the onions, I gave them a few minutes to lightly toast. A really fun thing happened then — many of them began to crack open, audibly so. It sounded like popcorn, only these grains didn’t expand with a puff of white.

This dish had some good help with the produce still in season. I had a few ears of sweet corn on the cob left to use, I’m afraid the last for this early fall. Ripe, small and firm green zucchini were sliced to stir in toward the end along with it, too. Light but satisfying, it’s the kind of meal you’ll feel full from after one bowl.

IMG_6876

I’ve often told people that there were four hallmarks I try to keep in mind with each recipe on this blog: cost-efficiency, healthfulness, practicality and environmental friendliness. Sometimes, you can’t hit all nails on the head at once, and this one dropped the ball a bit on practicality since it takes so darn long to make. You have been warned!

Oat Groat “Risotto” with Fresh Corn and Zucchini
(makes 2-3 servings)

3/4 cup oat groats
4-6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 onion, chopped
1 ear of corn, kernels cut off
1-2 zucchinis, sliced thinly
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup grated parmiggiano-reggiano

Heat a heavy-bottomed saucepan or Dutch oven with the oil and cook the onions until softened over medium, about 8 minutes. Add the oat groats and stir to gently toast, about 1 minute.

Meanwhile, warm the stock in a separate saucepan and add a ladle of stock to the oats. Let it absorb almost completely and add another ladle. Continue adding stock, stirring occasionally, until oat groats are tender, about 40 minutes. Add plenty of salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the corn and zucchini and cook, stirring, for 2-3 more minutes. Drizzle with extra olive oil and add optional butter or cream if desired. Sprinkle in the grated cheese, stir, and serve.

Cost Calculator
(for 2-3 servings)

3/4 cup oat groats (at $3/pint-sized bag): $1.25
2 small zucchini (at $1.80/lb): $1.00
1 ear fresh corn: $0.50
1 onion: $0.30
4-6 cups homemade vegetable stock: $2.50
1/2 cup grated parmiggiano-reggiano: $2.00
salt, pepper, olive oil: $0.25

Total: $7.80

Health Factor

Three brownie points: Most risottos are rich, oily and fattened with so much butter you don’t even want to know. This is taking a liberty with the tradition of the dish for its much less creamy texture, created in large part because oat groats aren’t nearly as starchy as short-grain rices are. It takes another liberty because I didn’t really try very hard to make up for this by adding much extra fats or cream. In any case, the oat groats are a great source of fiber, iron and selenium, and is known for reducing “bad” fats in your body, good for your heart. Fresh, gently cooked zucchini is a great veggie to get your potassium fix, Vitamin C and Vitamin A, and fresh corn adds a pop of texture, sweetness and B-vitamins, too.

Green Factor

Nine maple leaves: I can’t think of too many things that went into the dish that weren’t grown locally and sold at the Greenmarket: olive oil, salt and pepper. Otherwise, this seasonal and nutritious dish was sourced from friendly, familiar farms. I grabbed lots of carrots, onions and celery on this market run to make all the veggie stock with here, too — celery’s just now in season so it’s a good time to.
Share |
Related articles:

* Breadcrumb Crusted Zucchini with Rainbow Chard
* Cranberry and Corn Pancakes with Rosemary
* Garlicky Marinated Zucchini with Soy and Sesame
* Potato Risotto