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VANCOUVER — There are many great things about being a chef but to me, ultimately, it's about tasting the creations. When it comes to choosing a vegetable that I love to eat, it's corn.
When I was a kid growing up in Burnaby and my mom brought corn home I could hardly wait for her to put the water on, clean it and throw it in there. Get the salt, pepper and butter on the table and let's go!
As a boy I preferred meat, but corn was one of the few veggies my mom had no problem getting me to eat. The reason was simple: Most kids love sweets, and corn has so much sugar in it that it was like eating candy.
On the West Coast, the corn at this time of year is perfect. On Highway 1, which runs through the Okanagan to Vancouver, veggie stands by the side of the road sell some of the freshest corn I've ever tasted.
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In Vancouver, I've been out running by UBC and seen tow trucks selling corn off the back. It's delicious, it's everywhere and it's one of the most versatile veggies out there.
Now let's talk about the many things you can do with it. A good friend of mine taught my wife this amazing recipe for a simple lunch wrap. My kids and I request it weekly: Take the corn off the cob, add a little onion and garlic, sautéed chicken, red pepper and fresh cilantro, and for added spice, chipotle chili peppers in adobo sauce, a Mexican paste of ground chilies, spices, herbs and vinegar. Even the kids like a little heat to offset the sweetness of the corn.
For simple creamed corn, take the corn off the cob, add a little cream, a touch of butter, salt, pepper, lemon juice and chopped chives. It's the perfect veggie course to pair with a fresh white fish.
In the mid-1990s, I visited my friend Thomas Keller in Napa, at The French Laundry. He made me an amazing 18-course meal. But the one thing that stood out, and to this day has influenced how I make ravioli fillings, was his corn agnolotti with shaved summer truffles. They were so soft and delicate, there were no words to describe them.
I flew home and started going crazy with ravioli fillings, including corn with a little mascarpone cheese and parmesan. This is where my butternut squash ravioli was born - from a brilliant corn agnolotti I had almost 12 years ago.
This recipe for corn and crab chowder with corn and crab fritters is one of my favourites. If you love corn the way I do, it's a perfect combo. You can also substitute lobster for the crab. Remember: Simplicity is much more difficult to achieve than complicated cuisine, and you can't get any simpler than great sweet corn on the cob
Corn and Crab Chowder
WHAT YOU NEED
1 pound lb crab shells (or lobster)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 Spanish onion, thinly sliced
2 stalks of celery, coarsely chopped
1 large carrot, coarsely chopped
5 ears corn, kernels removed and cobs saved
2 quarts white chicken stock
2 cups whipping cream
6 basil leaves
Italian (flat-leaf) parsley, roughly chopped, for garnish
corn and crab Fritters
1 quart grapeseed oil
3/4 cup corn kernels (from 1 to 2 ears)
1/3 cup finely sliced basil leaves
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup milk
2 large eggs, separated
4 ounces oz. crabmeat
WHAT YOU DO
Chowder: Preheat oven to 400 F. Place crab shells in a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil. Place in the oven and roast for about 45 minutes, or until fragrant and light brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
Heat extra-virgin olive oil in a saucepan on medium heat. Add onion, celery and carrot and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add corn kernels and cobs, and cook for 5 minutes.
Add stock and roasted crab shells, then simmer for 45 minutes. Stir in cream and basil. Bring just to a boil, then remove from the stove. Take out and discard corn cobs and crab shells, and allow to cool for 15 minutes.
Puree soup in a blender. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, discard solids and allow to cool.
Fritters: Preheat oil to 375 F in a deep fryer. Combine corn, basil, flour and baking soda in a bowl.
In a separate bowl, mix milk and egg yolks. Add the milk mixture to the flour mixture, stirring well. Fold in crabmeat, then season with salt and freshly ground white pepper.
Beat the egg whites in a bowl until stiff, then fold into the batter. Cover and refrigerate for 5 to 10 minutes.
Remove the batter from the refrigerator and spoon 1 tablespoon at a time into the hot oil, making sure the temperature is still 375 F.
Cook four fritters at a time, making sure not to crowd them, for about three minutes. Take fritters out and drain on paper towels. Season with salt and freshly ground white pepper.
To serve: Reheat the soup. Place two to three fritters in each of six warmed soup bowls and ladle chowder over them. Garnish with parsley.
Chef Feenie is co-owner and chef at Vancouver's Lumière and Feenie's, a cookbook author and Iron Chef America champion.
Beppi's wine matches
Corn is one of the most wine-friendly vegetables. Alone, it can pair with almost anything. But this rich, creamy seduction is a perfect excuse to roll out a full-bodied, oak-aged chardonnay. Australia, California, Chile and Canada make excellent examples. Consider Errazuriz Estate Chardonnay from Chile (about $12), Beringer Napa Chardonnay from California ($28) or La Frenz Chardonnay from British Columbia ($18). A good alternative would be an oak-aged B.C. pinot gris, such as Mission Hill Family Estate Pinot Gris Reserve ($21.99). The 2006 vintage is superb.
Beppi Crosariol
