Posts Tagged‘corn’

Vegetable Soup

by KitchenRebel on September 3, 2014

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After a long holiday weekend with much meat eating, this soup was just the reset we needed. Packed with vitamins, nutrients and fiber this cleansing soup was like medicine and love in a bowl.

The secret to making this soup tasty is getting extra flavour from the vegetables by roasting some of them for a stock, and roasting some for adding to the soup.  The instructions may seem lengthy for so few ingredients, but layering flavours always makes all the difference.

Do not ever ever use store bought stock. I implore you, its one of my biggest food peeves.  You’re better off using water and adding extra herbs and seasoning to your dish instead of store bought stock. In over 30 years that I’ve been cooking, and the nearly 50 years that I’ve been a professional eater, I have NEVER tasted a store bought stock that tastes good.  Just don’t do it.  Stock is so easy to make, And it can even be very quick. Like the quick stock I made to add to this soup.

For this soup I pretty much cleaned out the fridge. You can add most any vegetable you have or like. I had 3 celery stalks, carrots and half an onion in the fridge that were on their last legs so I roasted them for stock.  Stock is always a great way to use up not-so-fresh veggies.

ingredients

3 ears of corn
1 onion
4 celery stalks
3-4 Bay Leaves
4-5 carrots
2-3 Garlic cloves
1/2 red bell pepper
2-3 tablespoons Olive oil
8oz mushrooms, sliced (about 2 cups)
1 cup (approx) broccolini or broccoli
1 bunch chard
1 bunch Kale
1/2-1 teaspoon smoked paprika, or paprika or cayenne pepper
Salt to taste

instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400
  2. Cut corn off 2 of the cobs, scraping down the sides to get the milky bits, put it in a bowl. You’re going to add this, as is, uncooked, to the soup. Save the cobs for stock.
  3. Cut corn off the remaining cobb, put in a separate small bowl, you will be roasting this later. When you scrape down the milky bits add it to the 2 corn cobs you cut in step 1. Again save the cob for stock.
  4. Break the 3 cobs in half, add it to a stock pot (I used a 6qt pot) add about 10-12 cups of water, or fill up about half way.  Heat to medium hot and simmer while you’re prepping the rest of the ingredients.
  5. Wash, rinse and roughly chop 2 celery stalks, 2-3 carrots and 1/2 onion. Add garlic cloves and toss in a little olive oil, or use olive oil mister, sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper. Spread out on baking sheet. Roast in oven for about 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until it starts to brown.
  6. While the veg is roasting, prep the rest of the veg – Dice half red bell pepper, half onion, 2 celery stalks, and 2-3 carrots. Cut everything about the size of the corn kernels.
  7. Remove roasted veg from the oven and add to the simmering corn cob stock. Let it continue to simmer
  8. No need to wash the baking sheet, just add the 1 corn on the cob (the one without milky bits) and diced red pepper. Drizzle or mist with some olive oil. Toss to coat. Roast for about 15-20 minutes. Stirring once or twice, until it just starts to brown.
  9. While corn and peppers are roasting, In a large soup/stock pot, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil, add diced onions and bay leaves, Sautee for 2-3 minutes until it starts to soften, but don’t get any colour on it.
  10. Add celery and carrots and sautee for 3-4 minutes. You want veg to soften and release their sugars, without browning it.
  11. Add broccoli, mushrooms, sauté for 2-3 mins
  12. Add roasted corn and peppers, and fresh corn.
  13. Remove stock from heat, pour liquid into soup. I filled pot till about 3 inches from top. If you have extra stock you can either top up your soup or save (freeze) it for future use.
  14. Simmer gently for 3-5 minutes
  15. Add washed, chopped chard and kale.
  16. Sprinkle in smoked paprika, check seasoning and add salt.

We loved this soup so much, after having it for dinner, we woke and had it for breakfast. And when we were finished with breakfast, hubby asked if there was any left because he wanted it for lunch again. The fact that that my carnivore is asking for this soup when there is left over short ribs tells you just how tasty and satisfying this soup is.

I make a huge pot of soup every week, its a life saver! Literally. Packed with vitamins, nutrients and fiber its a quick easy way to get your veggies and a great quick meal option for busy days or those ‘what can I eat’ moments. And its so comforting and satisfying it doesn’t feel like you’re eating healthy and having your medicine.

It makes for a great breakfast. We’re often rushing out in the mornings with soup in our coffee travel mugs.

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The best creamed corn you’ve ever had

by KitchenRebel on October 12, 2013

2,839 Comments

After you taste this you will never eat canned creamed corn again. Quick and easy to make, even folks who don’t like creamed corn love this.

ingredients

  • 1 small/medium yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 sprigs of thyme (optional)
  • 2-3 ears of corn, scrape down sides to get ‘corn milk’
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 cup cornmeal
  • 1 cup milk (or cream, or half and half)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

instructions

  1. Melt butter
  2. Add onions and bay leaves (and thyme if using), sautee till tender and translucent, you don’t want to get any colour to them
  3. Add corn and the corn “milk” and turmeric. Sauté for 2 or 3 mins
  4. Add cornmeal, stir through
  5. Add milk (or cream)
  6. Season with salt to taste
  7. Cook for 10 – 15 mins

Creamed corn served with Jerk Chicken, peas and rice.

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Mexican Rice Salad

by KitchenRebel on September 3, 2013

5,322 Comments

A great way to use up leftover veg or rice.

I had about a handful each of diced peppers, black beans and corn left over from our Taco Salads. I added green beans because I had them on hand. Day old rice always works best, but if you don’t have any just spread your cooked rice on a sheet pan and put it in the freezer for about 30mins.  Creamy and delicious AND good for you. No mayo or cheese or heavy fat ingredients needed to make your dishes creamy, substitute yogurt and/or sour cream and lemon.

ingredients

  • 2 tbsp Olive oil
  • 2-3 chipotle peppers
  • 1/2 cup red pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup green pepper, diced
  • 1/2 cup corn, fresh or frozen 
  • 1/2 cup black beans, canned or cooked
  • 1/2 cup green beans (optional) 
  • 3 cups cooked rice, preferably left over
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 2-3 green onions, sliced
  • 2 tbsp sour cream
  • 2 tbsp plain yogurt
  • 1 lemon, juiced

instructions

  1. Heat oil in pan
  2. Add chipotle pepper, red and green peppers, black beans, corn, green beans. Sautee for 3 – 4 mins.
  3. Stir in cooked rice and 1/2 of cilantro and green onions. Mix together and heat through.
  4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Remove from heat and let cool.
  6. Mix together sour cream and yogurt, add lemon juice, toss in rice.
  7. Garnish with remaining cilantro and green onions.

Corn Bread Pudding with Spinach

by KitchenRebel on May 3, 2013

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This Corn Bread Pudding was the best thing I ate this week. A savoury bread pudding that will blow your mind. Cornbready, corny, light, moist and I rather loved the crusty, slightly salty brown crust.

I used spinach because I had spinach that needed using up. There are endless substitutions you could use instead – mushrooms, kale, bacon, broccoli, zucchini,chicken, shrimp..
A wonderful way to use up leftovers. This would be a great alternative to quiche for brunch.

Or with a meaty sauce..

Or cranberry sauce..

Ingredients
1 cup corn, Always eat organic corn!!
2 green onions, chopped
1 cup spinach, blanched and chopped.
1 cup self rising corn flour
4 eggs
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup cheddar cheese
1/2 cup milk
1 tbls butter, melted (optional, i usually omit the butter and we never miss it.)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl add, corn, spinach, green onion, corn flour and cheeses
  2. In a small bowl, beat eggs, add milk.
  3. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients.
  4. Let sit for a 3-5 mins
  5. Preheat oven to 375.
  6. Butter an over proof dish, pour mixture into baking dish.
  7. Bake for 30-40 mins, or until just set and lightly browned.  Pudding will firm up considerably when it cools. I browned this one a little more than planned. (Damn you Amazon shopping!)

This was such a great side dish we almost forgot about the chicken. In fact I did! This bread pudding with a side salad made a wonderful lunch. I already can’t wait for tomorrow to have leftovers for lunch.

And don’t forget to save all the bits and any left overs if you have any.  Just wrap it plastic and pop it in the freezer. It will make a delicious addition to your next batch of breadcrumbs.
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Best Creamed Corn You’ve Ever Had

by KitchenRebel on June 16, 2012

1,681 Comments

After you taste this you will never eat canned creamed corn again. Quick and easy to make, even folks who don’t like creamed corn love this.

We devoured this meal before I got around to taking pics of the creamed corn. Creamed corn served with Jerk Chicken, peas and rice.

 

Ingredients:

 

1-2 TBLs Butter

1 small yellow (or white) onion, chopped

3 Bay Leaves

1-2 Sprigs of Thyme (optional)

4 corn cut off the cobb, don’t forget to scrape down the side for the juicy milky bits

1/2 tsp Tumeric

3 TBLS Corn Meal

1 cup cream

1 cup milk

salt to taste

 

Directions

1 Melt butter

2 Add onions and bay leaves (and thyme if using), sautee till tender and translucent, you don’t want to get any colour to them

3 Add corn and the corn “milk” and turmeric. Sauté for 2 or 3 mins

4 Add corn meal, stir through

5 Add cream and milk.  Sometimes I omit cream and use milk only.

6 Season with salt to taste

7 Cook for 8 – 10 mins