A summer meal to remember

This summer was all about fresh sweet corn from the farmer’s market! Both of these recipes were taken from Fine Cooking July 2016 (with a few of my changes:).

To start the meal-Chilled corn soup with crab

A quick crab salad on top gives this ultra-silky soup a casually luxurious, lunch-on-the-patio feel.

7 medium ears corn
2-1/6 oz. (4 Tbs. plus 1 tsp.) unsalted butter
1/3 cup thinly sliced shallot, plus 1 tsp. finely chopped
2 cups skim milk
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 oz. lump crabmeat, picked over for shells
2 Tbs. thinly sliced fresh chives
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice; more to taste
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

Husk the corn and cut the kernels from the cobs to yield 5 cups. Set aside 3 cobs and discard the rest.

In a 4-quart saucepan, melt 4 Tbs. of the butter over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned, about 5 minutes. Set aside 1/2 cup of the corn kernels (cover and refrigerate), and add the rest to the pan. Add the milk, 1-1/2 cups water, 2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Holding a cob over the pot, scrape it with the dull side of a knife to release some of the corn milk. Add the cob to the pot, breaking it in half to fit, if necessary. Repeat with the remaining cobs. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the corn kernels are just tender, 8 to 12 minutes.

Discard the corn cobs, and purée the soup in batches using a blender or food processor. Pass through a fine-mesh strainer, pressing hard on the solids with a ladle to extract as much liquid as possible. Refrigerate the soup until cold. When ready to serve, remove the soup from the refrigerator to take off some of the chill. (You want it cool, but the flavors will be muted if it’s too cold.)

Heat the remaining 1 tsp. butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the chopped shallot, and cook, stirring, until tender, about 3 minutes. Add the reserved 1/2 cup corn, and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool completely.

In a medium bowl, combine the corn, crab, chives, 1 Tbs. of the lemon juice, the olive oil, 1/2 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Toss gently to combine. Season to taste with more salt, pepper, and lemon juice.

Add the remaining 1 Tbs. lemon juice to the soup, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among bowls, garnish with a spoonful of the crab and corn mixture, and serve.

Make Ahead Tips

The soup may be prepared up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated, covered. Make the crab salad and top the soup just before serving.

And for the entrée-Corn, Bacon and Egg Pasta

Kosher salt
2 large eggs
6 oz. campanelle or similar pasta
2 slices uncured bacon
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 Tbs. chopped shallot
2 tsp. chopped garlic
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups corn kernels (from 3 to 4 medium ears)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano, finely grated (about 1 cup); more for serving
2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Bring a 6-quart saucepan of well-salted water to a boil. Have a bowl of ice water ready. Add the eggs to the boiling water, and cook for 6 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the eggs to the ice water. Return the water to a boil. Boil the pasta according to package directions until al dente.

Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain and cool. Add the butter to the bacon fat in the skillet, and let it melt. Add the shallot, garlic, and pepper flakes, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallot is tender, about 2 minutes. Add the corn, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender, 3 to 4 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, transfer the pasta to the skillet. Crumble in the bacon, add the cheese, toss, and keep warm over low heat. Add a little of the pasta cooking water if it seems dry.

Reheat the eggs for 1 minute in the hot water, then carefully peel. Divide the pasta between 2 wide, shallow bowls. Top with an egg, split it open, and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley and additional cheese, and serve.

I grew up in corn country in the midwest and there is nothing quite like fresh sweet corn. I made this meal for my son and his fiance this past summer!

2 thoughts on “A summer meal to remember”

mlm says:

2016/10/20 at 12:58 pm

One of my favorite meals from Jan’s Kitchen!

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- Jan Yalowitz says:
  
  2016/10/21 at 10:36 am
  
  I really loved the corn soup and pasta also. Both recipes make me crave some “just picked” mid west sweet corn!
  
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