IT DIDN’T TAKE ME long after I moved to the United States to see why this indigenous food is considered the taste of American summer and barbecues. And while corn is the largest crop in America, the majority of it is not used as food for people, but rather for animal feed, sweeteners, starch, biofuel, and even toothpaste. The cobs, along with the large leaves, husks, and stalks of the corn plant, are not usually used for food and are referred to as corn stover.
I like the shape of corn on the cob, and I like to explore ways to use the entire thing, not just the kernels. So in this section, you’ll find recipes that use more than just the kernels and work beautifully together in a delicious flan. The husks wrap the seasoning bundle; the cob cores are charred for the smoky dashi; and the kernels, cooked and raw, star in the flan. I reserve some raw kernels to top the flan for crunchiness, and pair with blueberries for a hint of tanginess and texture.
Corn lasts longer if kept in the husk, but it still should be eaten as soon as possible after purchasing because the sugars that make it sweet start to turn to starch. You can freeze corn kernels on or off the cob by blanching first.
MAKES 4 BOWLS / TIME: 1 HR, plus time for making the dashi
I like smooth, savory custards because they serve as a good base for flavors and for scraps cooking. In Europe and Mexico, most custards are sweet, but the Japanese custard chawanmushi is savory. The name means “steam based tea bowl,” meaning for me that it becomes a vessel for potentially anything. I can make different types of base stock “dashi” for the custard as well as include something scrappy and crunchy for texture (grilled cabbage core mini scoops) or… corn.
This savory corn chawanmushi is light and enjoyed best in the summer. It can be kept in the refrigerator and served chilled, or served warm on a rainy or cool day. For a stronger flavored dish, vary the recipe by replacing the corn kernel dashi with Parmesan Rind Broth (here) or the initial steps in the Smoky Potato Scrap Broth (here).
1 cups raw corn kernels (from about 4 ears of corn) plus cup for the topping
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups Charred Corn Cob Dashi (here)
12 blueberries, wrinkled ones are fine, halved
Juice of ½ lemon
Mustard oil
In a medium saucepan, cook the kernels in 1 to 2 inches of water for about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1½ cups of the cooking liquid. Transfer the liquid and cooked kernels to a food processor and pulse for 15 seconds, until the consistency of a coarse puree. With the back of a wooden spoon, press this puree through a fine mesh sieve to get 1½ cups of corn kernel liquid.
In a large bowl, combine the corn liquid, eggs, and salt, whisking briskly.
Place four 1-cup heatproof bowls in a bamboo steamer. Ladle ½ cup corn-egg mixture into each bowl. Cover and steam over low heat for about 35 minutes, until set. (You could also use a metal steamer, or bake in a 325°F oven.) Remove the bowls from the steamer and cool to room temperature.
Just before serving, pour about ½ cup of warmed corn dashi over each flan, enough to cover. Top each bowl with a few blueberry halves, raw corn kernels, a squeeze of lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and a drizzle of mustard oil (about ¼ teaspoon).
MAKES ABOUT 3 CUPS / ACTIVE TIME: 30 MIN (including making the bundles) / INACTIVE TIME: 2 HR
Dashi is a word I use all the time. I know it is Japanese and not Danish, but it has become an everyday word for chefs in the kitchen. I suppose we started using it whenever we decided to use a seaweed-konbu broth for flavor, rather than stock from fish, chicken, beef, or vegetables. So now I am using the word dashi for all kinds of other flavorful broths, like a base for a sweet or savory custard. Here, charring intensifies the sweet corn flavors and adds a smokiness to the easy vegetarian broth.
4 ears of corn, shucked (save the husks for the husk bundles) and kernels removed (save for Corn Kernel Flan, here)
1 (5-inch) piece konbu (cut from a dried sheet; see Resources, here)
4 Corn Cob Husk Bundles (at right)
½ teaspoon salt
In a large pot, bring 6 cups of water to a boil.
While the water is heating, grill the corn cobs on an outdoor grill or over the flame of a gas stove, rotating for a few minutes, until each cob is evenly and lightly charred (blistered and black marks appear).
Add the cobs and konbu to the pot and boil, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Turn off the heat, add the corn husk bundles, and steep for at least 45 minutes.
Strain the broth into a large saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until the liquid is reduced by half, about 45 minutes. Add the salt. The corn broth can be frozen or stored in the fridge for up to a month.
MAKES 4 BUNDLES / TIME: 15 MIN
Use corn husks instead of cheesecloth to bundle the herbs and infuse the dashi.
12 corn husks
4 cloves garlic, peeled
8 sprigs fresh parsley
4 small fresh bay leaves
4 (12-inch-long) pieces of butcher’s twine
Stack 3 husks and place 1 clove of garlic, 2 sprigs of parsley and a bay leaf in the center. Roll the husks up around the herbs, a making little bouquet garnis and securely tie with twine. Repeat to make 4 bundles.