I love corn. Always have. Fresh, roasted, sautéed, corn bread, corn chips, corn dogs, tortillas, hush puppies, pancakes, soufflé, pudding, soup, popped, fried, ice cream – you name it. If corn is a main ingredient, I am going to love it. Living in Mexico, where corn is the main grain, is tasty bliss. And here in Mazatlan, corn is actually a street food! I can stroll the Malecón and nosh on roasted corn, on the cob or in a cup.
Corn is also a great way to add whole grains to your diet, which can be kinda tough here. Sure, there are a few bakeries that specialize in whole grain bread, but that involves a special trip, and who in the heck wants to eat bread all the time? Let's face it – finding things like barley just aren't in our immediate future.
I am always playing in the kitchen with new ways to use masa harina. I think its a shame that for the most part this versatile ingredient is relegated to tortillas only. It offers so much more flavor – and nutrition – than white flour. I haven't yet created anything bad with masa harina, and my tinkering has been rewarded with quite a few keepers. Here is my newest favorite:
Tortitas de Elote
1¼ cups masa harina
½ teaspoon salt
½cup grated Chihuahua cheese
1¼ cups milk
¾ cup sweet corn kernels
¼ cup chopped scallion
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
more masa harina, for coating
corn oil
Stir together the masa harina, salt, and cheese in a bowl. Heat the milk to a simmer and pour into the masa harina mixture. Stir well. The cheese should melt and evenly incorporate into the dough. Gently fold in the corn, scallions, cilantro and garlic. Let sit for 30 minutes to let the masa harina absorb the liquid and turn into a medium-stiff dough.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Using your hands, make patties out of the dough, about 4 inches across and ½ inch thick. Dredge in masa harina then lay gently in the skillet. Cook until golden and crispy, about 4 minutes per side.
If you prefer, you can bake the tortitas in a hot oven for 20 minutes instead.
The tortitas are a pleasantly crispy side dish with a lime-sauced fish, or just on their own as a snack. Serve with bean dip, sour cream, butter, salsa fresca, a squeeze of lime...whatever tickles your fancy.
Leftovers can be heated in a medium oven on a cookie sheet.
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|SAdministrator |m-d-Y H:i:s jenniferNo, I used frozen sweet corn kernels. I just like the sweet corn better. So much so that I buy it in a 3 kilo bag from Sam's.
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