Thai Style Grilled Corn

First off, I apologize for my very long absence! I had an amazing summer home with baby, and while I was still cooking, I was not good about taking pictures and documenting. Promise to get better! We have the world's most adorable and sweet baby and now that she is a wonderful little sleeper, I have plenty of time to make dinner once she's down. 

Jamie got me a the amazing cook book of one of my favorite restaurants, Pokpok, and I've loved everything I've made so far. Some of the recipes involve a whole slew of impossible to find ingredients (although anything can be found on the internet!), but some are very simple, like this corn recipe. We love, love, love summer corn and usually just eat it on the cob with butter because it's so good that way. If you're looking for a change of pace with your later-summer corn consumption, this is the way to go. The coconut milk with sugar and salt is so simple but amazingly tasty (I want to put it on everything) and the squeeze of lime give it a little zip. We had it one night with spicy Thai cucumber salad and Thai-style skirt steak, and another night with grilled veggies. Yum!

Lobster Corn Chowder

I made this for myself (and Jamie) for my birthday dinner - such a treat! It has such a great corn flavor, and the lobster makes it decadent and perfect for a special occasion. I went off a mix of two recipes - this from Ina and this from Martha - and tweaked them a bit. The result is a deliciously corntastic chowder. Ina uses heavy cream, so I lightened it up with a mix of corn stock, whole milk, and half and half. Yum!

Ingredients:

2 1.5 lb lobster 

2 tbsp butter

1 large yellow onion, diced and divided in two

4 cups corn stock

1 cup whole milk

1 cup half and half

4 strips bacon, chopped

4 cups corn (fresh or frozen)

1 russet or Idaho potato, peeled and cut into 1/4"-1/2" dice

2 stocks celery, diced

2 tbsp chives, minced, plus more to serve

pinch of cayenne

1/8 tsp smoked paprika

Directions:

Cook the lobster

Bring 8 cups water to a boil. Add lobsters and cook 15 minutes. Set them over a colander set in a large bowl. Take the meat out of the lobster over the bowl, reserving the juices and discarding any roe or tamale. Keep the shells. Cut the meat into bite-sized pieces and put in a bowl. Refrigerate until you need them. 

Curry Corn

This is amazing! Make this ASAP! I would eat this all summer. Wow. I don't know why I never thought of curry and corn before. The sweet corn and the spicy fragrant curry make a great mix. I cleaned out my cabinets this week and reorganized all my spices and when I saw all my curry and Indian spices, I thought I'd try them with summer food. I finished off the corn with a smattering of nigella seeds (an Indian spice that tastes a bit like toasted onion) but don't worry if you don't have any - it'll still be great. 

Corn Broth and Frozen Corn

At the end of the summer, I suggest everyone goes out and buys 2 dozen ears of corn to freeze. Late August/September corn is so delicious, and having some on hand in the winter is such a treat. I like to saute it with chorizo, make corn and black bean salad, or make lobster corn fritters. Just throw the husked corn into boiling water for 2-3 minutes, then cut the kernels off the cobs. Put them into several ziploc sandwich bags and throw them in the freezer. So easy.

I also like to take all of the leftover cobs and put them back in the pot of water with a few onions and sprigs of basil and let it cook for an hour or so until you get this amazing corn broth. (You can throw in carrots or scallions or other herbs too.) I put that in the freezer, then use it for corn soups or chowders. It really adds an extra, deep, sweet corn flavor.

Lobster Corn Fritters

...or the Best Hors d'Oeuvres Ever. Yum! These are amazing. I made them for Jamie to start out a special dinner. They taste like summer. The lobster is rich, the corn is sweet, and the spicy mayo is the perfect accompaniment. They're definitely a treat and a little pricey, but tooootally worth it! Ina is just the best. (These are from her new cookbook, Foolproof, a wonderful Christmas present from my mother-in-law - thanks, Cindy!)

I halved the recipe because there were just two of us, but I will definitely be making it again another time in full force. This recipe makes 12-14 fritters and served 4-6.

Ingredients:
6-8 tablespoons unsalted butter
5 scallions, thinly sliced
1 1/4 cups fresh corn (I used frozen)
12 oz freshly cooked lobster meat, 1/4-inch diced
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp paprika
3/4 tbsp Old Bay
Kosher salt
2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup half and half

Creamed Corn (sans cream!)

Corn is so, so good right now, and I saw this recipe for cream-free creamed corn and had to try it. It basically just concentrates the amazing, sweet flavor of good summer corn. It's amazing! Before I added the salt, it was so sweet if my eyes were closed I could have sworn it was apple sauce. This is easy and becomes a less messy way to eat corn (as opposed to on the cob) and I can't wait to make it again!

(Average an ear per person)
Ingredients:
4 ears of corn
2 tbsp butter
1-2 scallions or 1 small shallot, diced (optional)
salt and pepper (very important)

Directions:
Grate the corn into a bowl using a box grater. Be sure to get all the juice you can out of the cobs. (I cut them in half first to make it easier.) Heat up the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the scallion/onion/shallot if you're using it and saute until soft but not brown. Add the corn and stir, cooking until thickened (about 5 minutes). Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Clam, bacon, corn, and tomato summer stew

Saw this recipe on Food52 and couldn't resist - it has all the best summer ingredients. It's super tasty, pretty quick, and a crowd pleaser. Make sure to take it off the heat right when all the clams are open so they stay tender and amazing. I added some onion and some zucchini because I had it and why not. Great summer dinner! Don't be put off by "stew" - it's not like its usual thick, hearty, wintery cousin.

Serves 4-6 as a main
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lb bacon, sliced into lardons
1 tbsp smoked sweet paprika
6 ears corn, shucked and cut from the cob
salt and pepper to taste
1 red onion, diced
1/2 lb tomatoes, cut in half
half of one lemon
3 tbsp bourbon
20 clams, scrubbed well (you don't want to eat the grit)
3 small zucchini, chopped into bite sized pieces
bread for serving
basil leaves, ripped up

Directions:
Heat up the oil in a large pot. Add the bacon and stir until the fat starts to render, then add onions. Stir until fat renders and bacon is crunchy, and onion is soft.

Braised Pork Chops

I couldn't wait to try out my beautiful new cherry red Le Creuset braiser! It was an early wedding present from one of my very best friends, Alice, and her boyfriend Ryan. (Thanks guys!!!) I LOVE it. I feel so fancy owning such a pretty and well made piece of cooking equipment. Jamie requested pork chops, so I googled around and found a few recipes for braised pork chops, then kind of made up my own. They were tasty! And pretty easy, too.

Ingredients:
2 pork chops (preferably boneless)
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp maple syrup
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 bay leaf
water

Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a heavy bottomed pan.

Doesn't the oil look so nice in the pot?

Best Lunch - Burritos

Often I have to run out during lunch and end up spending like $10 on a little salad. I hate spending lots of money on lunch just because those are the only options. I do bring leftovers a lot, but not every day. Then I decided I should make some burritos and freeze them, wrapped individually, to take to work for lunch. Also, if I made them myself, I knew I could make them taste just the way I like, and be sure they're actually pretty healthy at the same time. I made 8 the other day and Jamie flipped out and loved them so much he begged me to make more, so last week I went to the store and loaded up on supplies.

Fresh Corn Sauteed with Chorizo

Jamie and I had this really tasty sauteed corn at L'Artusi the other day and I've been wanting to try it. It was sauteed with chorizo which gave it a great little kick and there were crispy, savory bits of chorizo to go with the sweet corn. Since Long Island corn is at its peak, we've been eating a ton of it and I thought I'd try to recreate what we ate. Honestly, I liked my version better. It was less greasy and the flavor of the corn really shone through. The corn was sweet and crisp and the chorizo added a great contrast with its chewy, crunchy texture. I think it would also be great with frozen or canned corn, but nothing beats fresh summer corn. A great side dish!

(served 4 as a side)
Ingredients:
3 ears of corn, cut off the cob
1 small (4 inch) piece of dry Spanish chorizo, diced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 pinch dried oregano
1 scallion, thinly sliced
salt and pepper
1 tbsp unsalted butter

Chorizo

Directions:

Add the chorizo to a large skillet and let the fat render and the chorizo pieces start to crisp. Add the onion and stir, letting it soften a little, then add the corn and olive oil and stir. Add the oregano and red pepper flakes and satuee until corn has softened a little but still has a nice crunch. Add salt and pepper to taste, along with the scallions, and stir in the butter, then serve!

And of course, after dinner, we finished up with some amazing summer tomatoes, spruced up with ripe avocado slices, thin red onion slices, salt, balsamic, and extra virgin olive oil.

Indoor Clambake

I've been dying to try this all summer. The Lobster Place and Clamman both have pre-packaged, all ready versions, but I was tempted by the chorizo, onions, and garlic in Martha Stewart's recipe. It was a great, fun, and surprisingly easy meal. Good for a special occasion, or, in my case, just having girls over for dinner. The dipping sauce is delicious and much healthier than just a bowl of melted butter. So summery and festive!

The mussels were tender and delicious and the lobster was cooked perfectly. The little knuckles just melt in your mouth. The timing on this recipe is what makes everything cook perfectly. When cracking into the lobster claws, prepare to get a little messy. The corn tastes great dipped in the sauce and sprinkled with salt.

(for 4 people)
Ingredients:
1 onion, quartered
3 garlic cloves
1/2 bottle of pale ale beer (I used Brooklyn Summer)
1/2 cup water
3/4 lb new potatoes

Corn chowder with chiles and monterey jack

Sitting on the dramatic cliffs on the Hudson near Poughkeepsie, NY is the Culinary Institute of America. I used to go with my parents for lunch every time we played Vassar in squash. The food is amazing at their various restaurants, and pretty reasonably priced because it's being made and served by students. I definitely recommend it. Because we loved it so much, my mom bought be The Culinary Institue of America Book of Soups. Every soup I've tried has been delicious. I had a bag of corn that I'd frozen last summer and wanted to finally use it, so I tried this chowder from the book. It has a great flavor and a slight kick and is much lighter than normal corn chowder. This makes 8 servings.