The Brentwood Press

Corn Recipe ContestCookbook

2011 Winner: Cindy ShehornCongratulations to Brentwood resident Cindy Shehorn, the winner of this year’s Corn Recipe Contest! The judges (including Anthony Licciardi of KSFO 560AM, seen here with Cindy) raved about the flavor and texture of her dish. And despite the fact they had lots of other great entries to taste, they gobbled down every last kernal of her creation!

Local corn growers:Many thanks to the corn growers who are such a big part of our agricultural surroundings, and who so generously donate corn, money and personal involvement to the CornFest and many other worthy community projects.

G & S FarmsDwelley FarmsRon Nunn FarmsF. A. Maggiore & SonsSimoni & Massoni Farms

Parmesan Creamed Cornby Cindy Shehorn

Ingredients: • 6 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted • 2/3 cup +/- of freshly grated Parmesan cheese • 1½ cups heavy cream • 4 cups grilled corn* • 2 teaspoons salt • 1 teaspoon sugar • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Instructions: Brush 9x13 pan with butter. Evenly distribute 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese in pan, including sides.

Heat cream in saucepan until it begins to boil. Add corn, salt and sugar and heat until it begins to boil. Use remaining butter and flour to make paste. Stir paste into corn mixture and cook until it thickens.

Transfer mixture to 9x13 prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Put in 350 F oven for 30-35 minutes, until bubbling and golden brown.

*To grill corn: • Pull husks down and remove silk (without tearing husks off). • Pull husks back up and tie at top. • Soak ears in water 30 minutes prior to grilling. • Grill 20-25 minutes.

1st Place

WINNER

No-crust Tamale Pieby Carolyn Sherfy

Instructions: Brown ground beef in Dutch oven. Add onion and garlic; stir. When onions are caramelized, add herbs and spices, stir again and cook 5 minutes. Add tomatoes with water and cook 20 minutes. Add sugar, corn, chilies and corn meal; cook until thickened. Add olives and cook additional 5 minutes.

Serve in bowls and sprinkle with cheese.

Ingredients: • 1 pound lean ground beef • 1 small onion, chopped • 3 cloves of garlic, chopped • Parsley flakes, oregano, bay leaf, chili powder to taste • 1 large can whole tomatoes plus one can water

• 1 tablespoon sugar or no-calorie sweetener • 1 can whole-kernel corn • 1 4-ounce can fire-roasted, diced green chilies • ½ cup corn meal • 1 can whole, pitted, ripe black olives • ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions: Shell, devein and dice shrimp. Pound shrimp shells to remove juice. Set aside.

In pot, heat oil and sauté garlic and onions until onion is translucent. Add shrimp and sauté for another minute or so. Stir in shrimp shell juice or clam juice, water, pepper and corn. Bring to a boil and cook over low heat for about 20 minutes or until corn is done. Add patis (fish sauce) to taste. Add chili pepper leaves or spinach and cook for another minute. Serve hot. Good as main dish or side dish with steamed rice and fried fish.

Suam (Filipino corn soup)by Ginny Stemler

Ingredients: • 1 small onion (thinly sliced) • 2 tablespoons cooking oil • 2 cloves garlic (minced) • ½ pounds raw shrimp, shelled,

deveined and diced

• 2 cups shrimp shells juice (or clam juice) • Salt and pepper to taste • 1½ cup chopped corn • ½ cup pepper leaves (or spinach) • Patis (fish sauce), optional

Chili Lime Corn Empañadasby Beth Neal

Ingredients: • 1 package Pillsbury pie crusts at room temperature • 4 ears Brentwood corn, grilled, kernels removed • 4 ounces Queso Fresco, crumbled • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro • 2 teaspoons finely chopped jalapeño; seeds removed • 1 teaspoon chili powder • Zest from 1 lime • Salt and pepper to taste • 1 egg with 1 teaspoon water for egg wash

Instructions: Pre-heat oven to 400 F.

Mix corn, cilantro, jalapeño, chili powder, lime zest, salt and pepper in bowl.

Unroll pie crusts one at a time. Cut out circles with 3-inch biscuit cutter or round cookie cutter (or cut around drinking glass).

Brush sides of each dough circle with egg wash. In center of each circle, place 1 heaping teaspoon each of corn mixture and cheese. Fold edges of circle over and seal with fork.

Place empañadas on silpat or parchment-lined cookie sheet and brush with egg wash. Bake for 13 minutes until golden brown. Serve with optional sour cream lime dipping sauce (recipe below). Makes 24-30 appetizer-size empañadas.

Sour Cream Lime Sauce Mix following together in small bowl: • 8 ounces sour cream • Juice from 1 lime

2nd Place

WINNER

Peppered Polenta With Corn Salsaby Rich Stockman

3rd Place

WINNER

Ingredients: • 4 cups water • 1 cup polenta • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika • 2 tablespoons butter • ½ cup sweet, colored peppers, finely chopped • 2 ears yellow sweet corn • ¼ cup red onion • ¼ cup green and yellow zucchini • ¼ cup cucumber • ¼ cup avocado • ½ cup tomato (firm)

• 1 can chipotle pepper • 2 teaspoons salt • Sour cream (Mexican crema preferred) • Cold-pressed olive oil • Black pepper

Instructions: Polenta preparation: Bring 4 cups of water to boil in double boiler pan. Add polenta. At 20-minute mark, add smoked paprika, sweet peppers, 1 teaspoon salt and butter. Mix thoroughly and cook until 25-minute mark. Remove from heat and pour into greased pan; spread evenly ½ inch thick. Refrigerate until firm and cool.

Salsa preparation: Husk corn and lightly rub with olive oil. Roast over open gas stove or in pan on stove top until 1/3 of kernels turn brown. When cool, remove kernels and place in large bowl. Cut onion, avocado, tomato, zucchini, tomato and cucumber into pieces the size of the corn kernel. Combine all salsa ingredients with one mashed chipotle pepper. Add more chipotle pepper, cilantro and/or lemon to taste. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Refrigerate mixture.

Final preparation: Serve hot or cold for lunch, dinner or as appetizer. Cut polenta into squares or cookie-cutter rounds and heat in toaster oven or skillet with olive oil, or leave at room temperature or refrigerate. Place dollop of sour crema on polenta and top with corn salsa.

Meet the Judges!Thanks to the judges – it’s tough duty, but someone had to do it. They are, from the left, Managing Editor Rick Lemyre of The Press, city councilmen Bob Brockman and Erick Stonebarger, CornFest First Lady Beth Zeigler and Anthony Licciardi of contest co-sponsor, KSFO 560AM. Not pictured is Peter Charitou, owner and chef at Sweeny’s Grill & Bar in downtown Brentwood.

3rd Place

WINNER

Red Peppers Stuffed With Corn and Fresh Mozzarellaby Kathleen Doran

Ingredients: • 2 red bell peppers, halved lengthwise • 2 tablespoons butter • 1 red onion, grated • 2½ to 3 cups kernels from 5 ears of corn • 2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced

• 1 fresh mozzarella ball, cut into small pieces • 2 tablespoons finely sliced basil leaves • 2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs • Salt and pepper • Paprika

Instructions: Preheat oven to 375 F. Lightly butter a baking dish just large enough to hold peppers. Slice peppers lengthwise in half, leaving stem end intact. Steam for 5 minutes and set aside.

Melt butter in large skillet. Add red onion, corn and tomatoes; cook for 3 minutes over medium heat. Turn off heat and stir in cheese, basil, and half of the bread crumbs. Season with salt and pepper.

Fill peppers and top with remaining bread crumbs. Set in baking dish, add a few tablespoons water. Cover and bake until corn is hot and peppers are cooked, about 25 minutes. Uncover and brown tops under broiler. Dust with paprika and serve.

Pan de Elote (Costa Rican Corn Cake)by Lidylia Gebotsreiber

Ingredients: • 13/4 cups Brentwood sweet corn, cut into kernels, boiled and drained • 2 cans sweetened condensed milk • 6 whole eggs • 1 cup flour • 2 teaspoons baking powder • ½ pound salted butter

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 F.

Blend all ingredients together in food processor until creamy. Pour into greased and lightly floured 9x12 Pyrex pan. Bake 25-30 minutes until light golden brown. Texture should be solid and moist, not dry and crumbly.

Let cool and cut into 2-inch squares.

4th Place

WINNER

Corn With Chili-lime Butterby Tim Jensen

Ingredients: • 1 stick of unsalted, softened butter • 1½ teaspoons minced garlic • Juice of 1 lime • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for topping

• 1 tablespoon rocoto chili paste • ½ teaspoon ground cumin • Salt and pepper • 4 ears corn, husks and silk removed • Crumbled cojita cheese for topping

Instructions: Preheat grill to medium heat. Combine butter, garlic, lime juice, cilantro, chili paste and cumin in bowl. Add salt and pepper; mix well.

Grill corn, turning until nicely charred,10-15 minutes. Top with spoonful of flavored butter. Sprinkle on more cilantro and cojita cheese. Serves 4.

Red White and Green Spicy Succotash (Hot or Cold)by Fred Hoskins

Ingredients: • 6 large ears white corn (4 cups) • 3 large red bell peppers (4 cups) • 3 pounds long stringless green beans (4 cups) • 2 pounds dry red beans (4 cups) • 1 large clove garlic • 3 large jalapeño peppers

• 1 4-ounce can chicken broth • 2 tablespoons dry oregano leaves • 1 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves • 1 teaspoon ground black pepper • 1 teaspoon sea salt • 2 cubes salt-free butter

Instructions: To start: Cook dry red beans as other ingredients are being processed (add them last). Do not turn beans into mush; cook till medium firm and cool before adding to dish.

Cut kernels from corn cobs into large bowl (at least 4 quarts). All ingredients except red beans will be added to bowl as you prepare them:

Remove stems and slice red peppers into ½-inch squares. Snap string beans into 3/4-inch segments. Cut onions into 3/4-inch segments and dice to fine size. Remove stems and all seeds from jalapeños peppers and dice as fine as onion. Remove all skin from garlic and chop segments (same size as onion). Wash cilantro and chop as fine as possible. Stir and toss mixture as you add leaves, salt and black pepper.

Place mixture into deep 3-quart non-stick pan with butter, half of the ingredient at a time. Stir at medium heat until caramelized. (Golden – not brown or burnt!) Place into 6-quart pot and add red beans with remaining stir-fry mix into 6-quart pot. Add chicken broth, stir at medium heat for 3 minutes; steep for another 5 minutes before serving.

Refrigerate any amount you wish to use as cold salad. Add Italian zesty dressing to taste.

5th Place

WINNER

Tex-Mex Brentwood Corn Saladby Jessica Buscho

Salad ingredients: • 6 ears Brentwood corn, cooked your favorite way and cooled • 2 medium tomatoes, ½-inch chop • 2 avocados, ½-inch chop • 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained • 1/3 cup chopped cilantro

Dressing ingredients: • 1 tablespoon honey • Juice of 1 lime (use 2 if small or not juicy) • ¼ cup seasoned rice vinegar • ¼ cup olive oil • 1 teaspoon cumin • 1 teaspoon chili powder • ½ teaspoon salt • ½ teaspoon pepper

Instructions: Prepare corn your favorite way; let cool. In the meantime, squeeze lime juice into bowl, add vinegar and honey, and whisk. When combined, stream in your olive oil while whisking. Add cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper (you may add more to taste). Dressing can also be prepared in food processor, if preferred.

Once corn is cooled, cut cooked kernels off cob. My favorite way to do this is to use a bundt pan: prop up corn in center of bundt pan and so pan can catch kernels as you cut them off.

In large bowl, combine corn, black beans, tomatoes and dressing. Toss to combine. Add avocados last (because they’re delicate) and toss once more. Serves 4-6.

Corn and Artichoke Fritter With Garlic Aioliby John Poore

Fritter ingredients: • 8 ears fresh corn, cooked and cut from cob • 4 cans artichoke heart quarters • 1 white onion, sliced very thin • 1 egg • Tempura mix to bind

Dipping sauce ingredients: • Olive oil mayonnaise • Fresh chopped garlic to taste

Instructions: Place artichokes, corn and onion in large bowl. Add egg and mix with hands until incorporated. Add tempura mix until mixture reaches texture of loose bread dough.

Portion into bite-size pieces and cook for 1-2 minutes in corn oil until center is fully cooked and top is golden.

Dipping sauce: Add fresh chopped garlic to olive oil mayonnaise to taste.

6th Place

WINNER

Sweet Praline Cornby Debbie Nicosia

Instructions: Cook corn on cob until tender. Cut corn from cob, smashing half of the kernels and leaving rest whole. Mix together all ingredients and pour into greased 11x14 baking dish. Mix together all topping ingredients and sprinkle on top of corn mixture. Bake in preheated oven at 350 F for 35-40 minutes. Let set about 10 minutes before cutting.

Main Ingredients: • 3 ears fresh Brentwood corn • 2 cups sugar • 1 teaspoon salt • 4 eggs • 1 stick butter, melted • 1 cup milk • 2 teaspoons vanilla

Topping ingredients: • 2 cups chopped pecans • 2/3 stick butter, melted • 2 cups brown sugar • 2/3 cup flour

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