Tennessee Corn And Truffle Flan Recipes

TENNESSEE CORN AND TRUFFLE FLAN

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a bowl, combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking soda and sea salt. Set aside. If using frozen corn, make sure it is well-defrosted and drained.
• Warm a nonstick skillet over high heat and toss corn in to dry and toast slightly. In a bowl, combine cooked corn with 7 tablespoons melted butter, the eggs, cayenne and sour cream. Using a few swift strokes, add dry ingredients. Stir in cheese and shaved truffle, reserving just enough truffle to garnish flan before serving.
• Use remaining tablespoon butter to grease 8 6-ounce ramekins. Spoon mixture into ramekins, cover each with foil and place in a baking pan. Add boiling water to pan until it reaches halfway up ramekins. Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to rest, covered, for 10 minutes before serving. Flan can be served, garnished with additional truffle slices, in ramekin or loosened and turned out on a plate.

SWEET CORN AND TRUFFLE CHOWDER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Cut kernels off corn cobs using a sharp knife. Toss kernels with oil, spread on a baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes, or until softened and lightly caramelized. In large saucepan over medium heat, cook bacon until brown. Add celery, carrots, and onion to bacon and sweat for 10 minutes. Add flour to the vegetables and cook for 3 minutes. Add corn, potatoes, and heavy cream and gently simmer for 45 minutes or until reduced and thickened. Season with thyme, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Whisk in truffle butter and serve.

TRUFFLES

Steps:

• Follow the method for Master Ganache, adding the butter to the chocolate and the corn syrup to the cream before bringing the cream to a boil.
• Pour the hot cream and corn syrup over the chopped chocolate and butter. Tap the bowl on the counter to settle the chocolate into the cream, then let sit for 1 minute. Using a rubber spatula, stir slowly in a circular motion, starting from the center of the bowl and working out to the sides. Be careful not to add too much air to the ganache. Stir until the chocolate is completely melted, about 2 minutes.
• Add the liqueur and stir to combine. Allow the ganache to cool at room temperature until it is firm. This should take at least 4 hours in a 65 degree F room or 2 hours in the refrigerator.
• Once the ganache is firm, it can be formed into truffle balls. Using a piping bag, a mini ice cream scoop, or a tablespoon, make 1 inch diameter blobs. Then roll the blobs into somewhat uniform balls by hand. This is messy, no doubt about it. If they begin to warm up and become soft, refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes. If you have hot hands or it is a hot day, it may feel as though you can't get a grip on the truffle. Work near a sink with cold running water. When the ganache feels like it's melting, cool your hands under the running water then dry them and dust with a little cocoa powder. Be careful not to get too much cocoa powder on the truffles, or they will taste like cocoa powder.
• After the truffles are rolled, they can be finished in a variety of ways. The original cocoa powder is the easiest, and quite good.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Using a serrated knife, finely chop the chocolate into 1/4-inch pieces and place in a medium heatproof bowl. Fill a medium saucepan half full of water, bring it to a simmer, and then turn off the heat. Create a double boiler by placing the bowl on top of the saucepan. Stir the chocolate occasionally with a rubber spatula until it melts, about 2 minutes.
• When the chocolate has melted, take it off the heat. Stir it slowly with a rubber spatula until the temperature drops to 90 degrees F, about 5 minutes. Place the remaining cocoa powder in a small bowl.
• Drop 1 rolled ganache ball in the melted chocolate. Remove it with a fork, tap off the excess chocolate, and toss it into the cocoa powder. Roll the truffle around in the cocoa until it is well coated. Transfer the truffle to the prepared baking sheet and let it harden. Repeat with each truffle, coating 1 at a time.
• Can deep, dark, intense, rich, velvety smooth chocolate be a spiritual experience? It certainly is heavenly when mixed with cream. Praise the pastry angels and pass the bonbons!
• This is the basic ganache recipe. Use it for truffles, tarts, fillings, you name it. Follow the same technique when adjusting the recipe for firm and soft ganache. An alternative food processor method is given, which can be applied to any ganache recipe in this chapter.
• My desire is not only to introduce you to ganache but also to make it a staple in your refrigerator. As long as you don't eat it all as a midnight snack, it can be available to help you throw together dessert at a moment's notice.
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• 1 cup heavy cream
• Using a serrated knife, finely chop the chocolate into 1/4-inch pieces. Don't be lazy here. Big chunks will not melt.
• Traditional method: Place the chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl. Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Boiling means the cream will actually rise up in the pan and threaten to boil over.
• Immediately pour the boiling cream over the chopped chocolate. Tap the bowl on the counter to settle the chocolate into the cream, then let it sit for 1 minute. Using a rubber spatula, slowly stir in a circular motion, starting from the center of the bowl, and working out to the sides. Be careful not to add too much air to the ganache. Stir until all the chocolate is melted, about 2 minutes. It may look done after 1 minute of stirring, but keep going to be sure it's emulsified.
• Food processor method: Place the chopped chocolate in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat (or bring to a boil in the microwave.)
• Immediately pour the hot cream into the food processor, on top of the chocolate. Let sit for 1 minute, then pulse the machine 3 times. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula and pulse 3 more times, until all the chocolate is melted. This smooth, silky chocolate is now ganache. Transfer the ganache to a bowl.
• Let the ganache sit at room temperature until it cools to 70 degrees F. In a 65 degree F room, this will take approximately 4 hours or 2 hours in the refrigerator. You can speed up the process by pouring the ganache out onto a clean baking sheet (thinner layers cool faster.) Once the ganache reaches 70 degrees F, it is ready to be used. At this point it can be covered and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
• Yield: 2 cups

SWEET CORN, BLACK TRUMPET AND TRUFFLE RISOTTO

Steps:

• Over medium heat, in a large saute pan, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter. Heat the oil for 1 minute. Add the onions, corn, salt, white pepper, and black pepper. Saute for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the risotto. Saute for 2 minutes. Stir the stock into the risotto. Bring the liquid up to a simmer, about 6 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and garlic. Simmer the risotto for 18 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in the remaining butter, cream, grated cheese and truffle oil. Simmer for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and serve. Garnish with shaved truffles.

CORN TRUFFLE (HUITLACOCHE) QUESADILLAS

Steps:

• Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat; stir in onion, garlic, jalapeno pepper, and epazote and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir corn truffles into onion mixture; cook and stir until truffle liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and keep warm.
• Heat a large griddle or skillet over medium heat until hot. Moisten both sides of two tortillas with water and place them, stacked together, onto the hot griddle; cook until the bottom tortilla is crisp, about 2 minutes. Flip the stacked tortillas and cook the other tortilla until crisp, about 2 minutes. Separate the two tortillas; place them separately, uncooked side down, onto the hot griddle. Cover the crisp side of one tortilla with 1/5 of the Oaxaca cheese; place 1/5 of the corn truffle mixture over the cheese, then lay the crisp side of the second tortilla on top to cover the truffle mix.
• Cook, turning once, until both tortillas are crisp and cheese is melted, about 3 minutes; repeat with remaining tortillas, cheese, and corn truffle mixture. Cut each quesadilla into four wedges to serve.

CORN FLAN

Steps:

• Strip kernels from corn. Combine them with milk in a blender, and blend. (Mixture will not be perfectly smooth.) Pour into a saucepan, and heat gently until steam rises, about 5 minutes. Cover, and steep 10 to 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat oven to 300 degrees, and set a kettle of water to boil. Grease bottoms and sides of four 6-ounce ramekins with butter.
• Strain corn-milk mixture into a large bowl, and discard contents of strainer. Add salt to taste to the milk in the bowl. (Oversalt just a bit.) In a small bowl, beat eggs and yolk together, and add a little of the strained milk to warm. Pour the egg-milk mixture into the milk. Add spices, and pour into ramekins.
• Put ramekins in a deep roasting pan or an ovenproof skillet, and add boiling water about halfway up their sides. Bake about 20 minutes, until barely set (still quite jiggly in the middle). Leave flans in ramekins or remove them by inverting each over a plate about 15 minutes after they come out of the oven. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.

SWEET CORN FLANS WITH TOMATO-CORN RELISH

Steps:

• Make flans:
• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Cook corn in a pot of boiling water until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain and cool.
• Cut off kernels with a sharp knife into a bowl, scraping ears. Reserve 3/4 cup for relish and purée remainder in a blender with milk until smooth. Force corn purée through a fine sieve into a bowl, discarding skins.
• Whisk together eggs, salt, and cayenne until blended and whisk in corn purée.
• Pour flan mixture into lightly oiled ramekins and bake in a hot-water bath just until set, about 40 minutes.
• Remove ramekins from water bath and cool on a rack. Chill until cold, about 2 hours.
• Make relish:
• Stir together corn, tomatoes, onion, and basil. Stir in oil and vinegar and season with salt and pepper.
• Run a thin knife around edge of each flan, then invert flans onto plates. Spoon relish over them.

TENNESSEE CORNBREAD

Steps:

• Prepare Corn Bread: Heat oven to 350°.
• Put butter in 9x5x2 inch loaf pan.
• Place in oven to let butter melt.
• Meanwhile, sift together in large bowl cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
• Add buttermilk and egg to cornmeal-flour mixture.
• Remove loaf pan from oven and pour hot melted butter into cornmeal mixture.
• Set loaf pan aside to cool.
• Using a wooden spoon, mix corn bread batter only until all dry ingredients are moistened.
• Thoroughly grease the inside of the cooled loaf pan with solid vegetable shortening.
• This corn bread can stick to the pan so be SURE YOU GREASE THE PAN VERY HEAVILY.
• If possible, use a pan with a nonstick finish.
• Pour bread batter into prepared pan and put it on the center rack of the preheated oven.
• Bake for 1 hour or until a cake tester comes out clean.
• Bread should be very light golden brown.
• Remove pan from oven and immediately turn bread out onto a breadboard.
• Let cool about 5 minute.
• and cut into thick slices.
• Serve with plenty of butter or honey butter (makes 1 loaf of bread).