September 26, 2010 | Sauces
Does anyone else watch Gordon Ramsey’s new show MasterChef? I think my addiction to cooking competition shows is akin to my husband’s addiction to watching sporting events. On a recent show the contestants had to recreate a dish that Cat Cora made – halibut on a bed of sweet corn zabaglione with a salad topping of corn, arugula, onion and cherry tomatoes. I actually made that dish this week for an event I did, and found myself left with some of the sauce and some of the salad mixture, which I discovered can be mixed together, tossed with some hot penne pasta, and topped with same Parmigiano cheese for a great vegetarian dinner. But it all starts with the cream sauce. First you need to get the kernels off the corn cobs – if you do this in a bowl you’ll have less corn flying everywhere.
Next cook the onion, corn and garlic slightly in some extra virgin olive oil…
…before adding the cream to simmer for 10 minutes.
Carefully pour the hot mixture into the blender and let it rip, then strain out the solids through a mesh strainer and discard the solids.
Separate the eggs and put the whites away for your egg white omelet tomorrow morning, then whisk some of the hot cream into the egg yolks to temper the eggs. Continue by whisking all of the tempered egg yolk and cream mixture into the full pan of hot cream. Place the pan on a double boiler and cook, stirring constantly, until thickened. Use the sauce as either a based for fish or chicken, or as a cream sauce for pasta. Let me warn you – this recipe isn’t for people trying to watch their diet, limit their fats, or in any other way eat responsibly. But it’s a great way to showcase the sweetness of summer corn before it’s gone again until next year!
Sweet Corn Cream Sauce
Yields 4 cups2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, diced
4 ears of corn, kernels cut from cob
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups heavy cream (or half and half)
4 egg yolks
salt and pepper, to tasteHeat oil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add onion and cook for a few minutes until slightly softened. Add corn and garlic and cook for 3 more minutes. Add cream and simmer together for 10 minutes. Carefully transfer to a blender and puree. Strain mixture through a fine mesh strainer; return cream to the top of a double boiler and discard solids. Whisk some of the hot cream into the egg yolks to temper the eggs, then whisk the eggs into the cream. Cook over a double boiler until thickened, stirring constantly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
I’ve been meaning to do something like this with sweet corn. Thanks for sharing!