Corn Timbale With Kale Recipes

CORN TIMBALES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• Lightly grease 4 timbale molds or 4-oz. custard cups.
• In a medium-size heavy saucepan, combine the water, cornmeal, cumin, chili powder and salt.
• Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally over moderate heat.
• Lower the heat, cover and cook, stirring occasionally for 8-10 minutes or until very thick.
• Remove from heat.
• In a medium-size bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy.
• Whisk about a quarter of the hot cornmeal into the beaten whites then slowly pour the whites into the remaining cornmeal mixture, stirring constantly about 1 minute or more, just until thickened.
• divide the mixture among the prepared molds, pressing the surfaces with the back of a spoon.
• Cover loosely with aluminum foil.
• Place the molds in an 8x8x2-inch baking dish filled halfway with hot water.
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.
• Let stand for a few minutes to set then run a small spatula or knife around the sides of each mold and invert carefully onto serving plates.

PASTA WITH CORN AND KALE

Steps:

• Cut the corn kernels off the cobs and transfer to a bowl, then scrape the cobs with the back of a knife over the bowl to extract the liquid; set aside. Put the corncobs in a large pot and fill with water; season with salt. Cover and bring to a boil, then add the pasta and cook as the label directs; reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain. Discard the cobs.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over high heat. Add half of the mushrooms in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until golden, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt, stir and continue cooking until tender, about 5 more minutes; transfer to a large bowl. Add another 2 tablespoons olive oil to the pot and repeat with the remaining mushrooms. Transfer to the bowl.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, the garlic and pepper flakes to the pot; cook, stirring, until the garlic is soft, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the kale and season with salt. Cover and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add the corn kernels, mushrooms, scallions and butter. Cook, stirring, until the butter is melted and the mixture is heated through, about 2 minutes. Add the pasta and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta cooking water; cook, stirring, until heated through, 1 to 2 more minutes, adding more cooking water as needed to loosen the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.

CORN AND ZUCCHINI TIMBALES

Steps:

• In a blender purée the corn with 2/3 cup water for 1 minute, add the eggs, the flour, the sugar, and the salt, and purée the mixture for 1 minute. Strain the purée through a fine sieve into a bowl, pressing hard on the solids. With a vegetable peeler cut 16 thin lengthwise slices from the zucchini, avoiding the cores, and grate enough of the remaining zucchini to measure 1 cup. Squeeze the grated zucchini dry in a kitchen towel and stir it into the corn mixture with the thyme.
• Arrange 2 zucchini slices decoratively in each of 8 buttered 1/2-cup timbale molds, pressing the slices firmly against the sides of the molds and trimming the ends, and divide the corn mixture among the molds. Arrange the molds in a baking dish, add enough hot water to the dish to come halfway up their sides, and bake the timbales in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until they are firm. Transfer the molds to a work surface and let them stand for 3 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge of each mold and invert the timbales onto platters. (The timbales may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled. Reheat the timbales in a baking dish, covered tightly with foil, in a preheated 350°F. oven for 15 minutes.)