With summer corn coming deliciously into season, you may find yourself up to your ears in maize. Turn to chef Brian Poe and shuck the traditional prep—he blends the sweet staple into a sauce, balanced by heavy cream and hot chilies. You’ll toss the husk, but keep both cob and kernel to simmer with shallots, garlic, jalapeno and Anaheim peppers till it’s thickened. Poe works the ensuing sauce into creamed corn risotto, aioli and crema at his restaurants, but you can even go as simple as a side dish, topped with fresh corn kernels for pop.
Anaheim Corn Sauce
Ingredients
- 6 ears of corn
- 6 cups water
- 1 teaspoon shallots
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 2 Anaheim chilies, chopped
- 1 jalapeno, seeded
- Heavy cream
- Salt and pepper
Directions
- Grill the six ears of corn and let cool. Remove the corn kernels (about five cups) and cut the cob into coins. Set aside for later use.
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a medium pot and add the corn kernels. Add the shallots and garlic, and stir for 1-2 minutes. Add the water and bring to a boil. Reduce by one-third.
- Add the reserved corn cob to the boiling water. Allow to cook 5-10 minutes, then remove from heat. Stir in the chilies and jalapeno, then puree the mixture into a fine sauce using a stand blender or immersion blender. Add heavy cream as needed to thicken.
- Strain the corn sauce back into the pot and heat on low, stirring, until reduced by one-third. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
