Messy Corn Recipes

THE BEST HOMEMADE CORNBREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• Grease a 9-inch round cake pan or cast iron skillet well and set aside. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Whisk to combine well.
• Make a well in the center of your dry ingredients and add your oil or butter, milk, and egg. Stir just until the mixture comes together and there are only a few lumps remaining.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is a deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Serve hot.

CRAZY SZECHUAN BEEF AND MESSY CORN WITH SHISHITO

Steps:

• For the steak and marinade: Place steak in freezer for a few minutes to firm up a bit, then thinly slice on a bias against the grain.
• In a shallow dish, stir up marinade and spices: cornstarch, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, cumin, Szechuan pepper and ground turmeric if using. Add meat and coat, then let stand 10 to 15 minutes.
• For the vegetables and sauce: Peel ginger and turmeric if using and grate or mince. Chop or grate garlic. In a small bowl, whisk up sauce: ginger, garlic, turmeric, soy, Shaoxing rice wine or sherry, sweet chile sauce, chile garlic sauce or sriracha and sesame oil. Place about the cornstarch in smaller bowl or ramekin.
• Peel and chop carrot into thin matchsticks. Quarter pepper lengthwise, remove seeds and thinly slice across. Cut the scallions 1 inch on bias.
• Heat a large cast-iron or nonstick pan over high heat with peanut oil, 2 turns of the pan. Cook beef in 2 batches if necessary to crisp, about 3 minutes each. Add another turn of pan of oil and stir-fry the carrot, peppers and Asian chiles, if using, and toss for a minute. Add sauce to the pan. Add a splash of water to cornstarch and add to sauce to thicken. Add beef and toss, then add half the scallions. Transfer to bowl and top with remaining scallions and sesame seeds, if using. Serve with Messy Corn and Shishito Peppers.
• Shuck the corn unless you bought it prepped by produce department. Cut the corn on the cob into 2-inch chunks.
• Heat a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over high heat with peanut oil, 2 turns of the pan, add corn and peppers and blister and brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Reduce heat a bit and add garlic, ginger, chile sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil and scallions. Toss another minute, transfer to platter and top with cilantro.

MEXICAN CORN SALAD

Steps:

• In a heavy large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the corn, bell pepper, zucchini, green onions and jalapeno pepper. Saute until vegetables are tender, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and refrigerate vegetables until chilled.
• Add salsa and chopped cilantro to vegetable mixture. Stir and season with salt and pepper to taste.

CORN SALSA

Steps:

• OPTIONAL GRILL: Preheat grill to medium heat (400 degrees F). Shuck corn and discard silks. Drizzle corn (option: also grill the green onions and jalapeños -- See Note 1) with olive oil and then lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper. Rub the oil and salt/pepper into all sides of the corn. Prepare the grill by cleaning and then generously oil the grill (I drench a rolled-up paper towel in vegetable oil and, holding it with tongs, rub it over the grill grates). Add the corn to the heated grill over direct heat. Grill corn about 10-12 minutes total, rotating every 3-4 minutes until bright yellow and lightly charred. (Alternatively, cut raw kernels off the cob and use in salsa) Let grilled corn cool completely before cutting it off the cob.
• CHOP: Add kernels to a large bowl (if you grilled them, allow to cool completely). Add in the finely diced red onion (See Note 2), finely chopped cilantro, finely diced jalapeños, and thinly sliced green onions. Toss gently to combine.
• DRESSING: Combine the lime zest, lime juice, vinegar, chili powder, cumin, paprika, white sugar, and salt & pepper (to taste; I add about 1/2 teaspoon of each; DON'T add salt to the dressing if you salted the corn) in a Mason jar. Shake to combine. Pour over ingredients and gently stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate to marinate (allow flavors to intensify and meld) for 15-20 minutes. Stir and then serve!
• STORAGE: Store in a bowl, covered and refrigerated, for up to 2 days. We like this salsa best the same day its made. Gently stir before serving any leftovers.

CORNBREAD RECIPE

Steps:

• PREP: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Place eight tablespoons of butter in a microwave-safe bowl and melt. Set melted butter aside to cool to room temperature before using. Remove the wet ingredients from the refrigerator so they reach room temperature.
• WET INGREDIENTS: In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk, egg, two tablespoons of honey, brown sugar, and white sugar. While whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the melted (but room temperature) butter until smooth and combined. If the wet ingredients are cold and butter is warm, it will clump. Pour the wet ingredients into the center of the dry ingredients and gently mix (or fold with a spatula) until just combined. Do not over mix or beat.
• DRY INGREDIENTS: In another large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch.
• PAN: Place the 1 tablespoon remaining butter in the 9x9-inch pan. Place in the preheated oven for exactly one minute and then remove using oven mitts. Tilt the pan to coat the entire bottom in the melted butter. Pour the prepared batter into this pan and use a spatula to spread and make the top even.
• BAKE: Bake for 19-20 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the center springs back when pressed gently.
• FINISH: Place the pan on a wire cooling rack and let it cool for 10 minutes. Gently brush the remaining honey over the cornbread. Cut into squares and serve warm.
• STORAGE: Cornbread does not keep well. It is best used on the day it's baked. To store leftovers, wrap individual pieces in plastic, then foil, and place in the fridge. If you are making cornbread for stuffing, it can be baked up to three days ahead (then store in an airtight container in the fridge).

ELOTE (MEXICAN STREET CORN)

Steps:

• While you're grilling your corn, prepare the chili-mayo sauce and Cotija-cilantro blend. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lime juice, chili powder, optional cayenne, and salt. Stir until combined. In a separate bowl, mix together the cheese and cilantro. Set both bowls aside.
• When your corn is ready to go, brush the mayonnaise mixture all over one ear of corn. Over a plate, sprinkle the Cotjia mixture liberally all over, turning the corn as necessary (it's going to be a little messy, no way around it!). Place the finished cob on a separate serving plate. Repeat for the remaining corn, using the cheese in the bowl and the excess on the plate as needed.
• Sprinkle a pinch or two of additional chili powder lightly over the corn. Serve warm.

MESSY CORN

Steps:

• Soak the corn in cold water for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile mix all the other ingredients together, and heat the barbecue grill on low/medium heat.
• Cook the corn on the grill (still in husks) for 30 minutes, turning occasionally.
• Remove corn from the grill and peel back the husks (the silk will just fall away easily).
• Slather the ears of corn with the sauce and serve immediately.
• Warning: Serve with plenty of paper napkins!