Golden Corn And Saffron Polenta Recipes

SWEET CORN & SAFFRON RISOTTO

Steps:

• Cut corn from cobs. In a large skillet, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat; add corn, salt, pepper and 1/4 cup broth. Cook and stir for 3-5 minutes or until corn is tender. Remove from skillet and set aside; keep warm., In a large saucepan, heat saffron and remaining broth; keep warm., In the same skillet, saute onion in oil and 3 tablespoons butter until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Add rice; cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. Reduce heat; stir in wine. Cook and stir until all of the liquid is absorbed., Add warm broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing liquid to absorb between additions. Cook just until risotto is creamy and rice is almost tender (cooking time is about 20 minutes)., Stir in the cream, reserved corn mixture and remaining butter; cook and stir until heated through. Sprinkle with basil. Serve immediately.

POLENTA WITH FRESH CORN

Steps:

• Pour 2 cups water into a medium saucepan. Add the salt, corn kernels, and milk. Set over high heat, and bring to a boil. In a steady stream, slowly pour in the polenta, stirring constantly.
• Reduce heat to low, and simmer, stirring often, until polenta is very thick, 4 to 6 minutes. Stir in the butter and pepper. Serve warm.

BRAISED QUAIL WITH POBLANO CHILES, SAFFRON, AND CHORIZO

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°F.
• In a small bowl combine broth or water and saffron.
• Thinly slice enough onion to measure 1 1/2 cups and finely chop garlic. Remove casings from chorizo and cut sausage into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Peel tomatoes *(see below) and seed. Cut enough tomato into 1/4-inch dice to measure 1 1/2 cups.
• With poultry shears or a sharp knife cut off necks, feet, and first 2 wing joints of each quail and discard. Pat quail dry and season with pepper and salt. In a 12-inch heavy skillet heat butter and corn or canola oil over moderately high heat until foam subsides. Add quail, breast sides down, and brown on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes total. Transfer quail to a plate.
• In a large shallow flameproof kettle with a tight-fitting lid cook onion in olive oil over moderate heat, stirring, until pale golden. Add garlic and chorizo and cook, stirring, until garlic is softened but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add cumin, oregano, and bay leaf or leaves and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add saffron mixture, tomato, and pepper and salt to taste and bring to a simmer.
• Add quail to chorizo mixture and braise, covered, in middle of oven, basting every 15 minutes, 1 hour total. While quail is braising, roast and peel poblanos . Wearing rubber gloves, cut chiles into thin strips. Chop cilantro.
• Arrange quail on a platter and keep warm. Discard bay leaf and skim any fat from chorizo mixture, if desired. Stir in chiles, cilantro, and salt to taste and bring mixture to a boil.
• Spoon chorizo mixture around quail and serve with lime wedges and polenta or rice.
• To peel tomatoes:
• Have ready a bowl of ice and cold water. Cut an X in blossom end of each tomato. In a saucepan of boiling water blanch tomatoes 10 seconds. Transfer tomatoes with a slotted spoon to ice water to stop cooking. Peel tomatoes.

GOLDEN CORN AND SAFFRON POLENTA

Steps:

• Heat chicken fat in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion; cover and cook 5 minutes (do not brown). Add broth, 1 1/4 teaspoons coarse salt, and saffron; bring to boil. Whisk in polenta. Cook, whisking constantly, until polenta boils and starts to thicken, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cover; simmer until polenta is cooked through and very thick, stirring with flat- bottom spoon, about 10 minutes longer.
• Meanwhile, blend corn kernels in processor until coarse puree forms; mix into polenta. Season with pepper. DO AHEAD: can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Stir over low heat to rewarm.

POLENTA WITH CORN

Steps:

• In a medium-size saucepan, bring the milk, 2 cups water and bay leaf to a boil. Season generously with salt, almost to the point of over seasoning. How do you know that you are there? TASTE IT! When it has reached a boil, slowly whisk in the polenta in small sprinkles. Once all of the polenta has been incorporated, reduce the heat to medium and immediately switch over to stirring with a wooden spoon. Cook the polenta until it begins to pull away from the pan, adding water to loosen it up if it becomes too thick. Add the corn and stir to combine. When the polenta is thoroughly cooked, it should look creamy and not feel gritty on your tongue. Remove it from the heat and stir in the Parmesan and mascarpone.