Chile-Spiked Quinoa Pudding with Corn

Continuing with my recent obsession with both fresh corn and quinoa, this week I decided to try a recipe from Judith Finlayson’s Complete Whole Grains Cookbook. It’s been sitting on my shelf since December, but I never got around to flipping through it. It’s actually a great resource–unlike a like of whole food-esque cookbooks, it has healthy recipes for meat, seafood, etc. There were a ton of recipes in there that I plan on trying.

For those of you don’t know/weren’t raised in the South, corn pudding is a side dish that is made with fresh corn, eggs, and milk. It’s like a souffle, but not as fluffy. This week’s recipe is a play on that dish. I wasn’t sure what the texture would be like, but I was pleased with the results. I served it with dinosaur (or lacinto) kale sauteed in olive oil and garlic. I’m anxious to see how this will keep–I imagine the pudding will be either much better or much worse tomorrow!

Chile-Spiked Quinoa Pudding with Corn

3 c cooked quinoa [I used half red quinoa, half white]
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp dried oregano [I didn't have any, so skipped this]
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 tsp pepper
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, minced [I used 2]
1 can (14oz) diced tomatoes with juice
1 c corn kernels [I used 2 ears--about 1.5 cups]
3 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease a shallow, 8-cup (2L) baking dish.

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add onion and bell pepper. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes.

2. Add garlic, oregano, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 minute. Stir in chipotle pepper. Add quinoa and mis well. Stir in tomatoes with juice and corn. Remove from heat.

3. In a small bowl, combine beaten eggs with about 1/2 c warm water. Gradually return to pot, mixing well. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Bake in preheated oven until pudding sets and top is crispy and browned, about 45 minutes.

…After I spooned each serving onto the plate, I topped it with some shredded smoked gouda cheese. It was the only cheese I had on hand, but the flavors actually worked quite well together.

I got impatient (and hungry), so pulled it out before it was super crispy on top. Next time, I’ll definitely let it crisp up more–those were the best parts of the dish.

Update: The leftovers were great… I heated them in a pan to let them get a bit more crispy.  I froze a few portions (the recipe makes a lot!), so I’ll let you if they freeze/defrost well or not.

Corn risotto

I’m a huge fan of fresh corn in the summer–I end up eating it at least once a week through its peak season. Though I love simple corn on the cob, this week I decided to try something new.

My boyfriend and I had the idea of making corn the way you make risotto–cutting it off the cob raw and then adding broth until the liquid is absorbed and the corn is cooked. I tried this recipe for my mother and grandparents this weekend. It was a hit. We served it with slice tomatoes, steamed asparagus, and green beans–the perfect summer meal. A glass of French rose wine completed the meal.

Corn risotto
6 cobs of corn
approx. 2 cups vegetable or chicken broth [I used homemade chicken broth]
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 tsp butter (optional)
1/4 c fresh parsley, chopped
olive oil

Cut corn off of cobs. Over medium heat, saute onions with olive oil until soft; about 5-8 minutes. Add corn and saute in oil and onions for 5 minutes. Add 1/2 c broth and butter, if desired. Stir occaisonally. When liquid is absorbed, add another 1/2 cup. Repeat until all liquid is absorbed and corn is cooked to the consistency you desire. Turn off heat, add parsley. Stir and add salt and pepper to taste.

Update:  I made a delicious variation of this using garlic (sauteed with the corn), no onion, and a pinch of saffron towards the end.  So good!