This weeks Food Network Chef’s Challenge hosted by I Blame My Mother is Michael Symon. Michael won the Next Food Network Iron Chef competition and is also a owner of several restaurants. I wasn’t too familiar with his style of cooking since I didn’t see his show. But I stumbled across this recipe for Creamed Corn with Bacon and knew it would be something our family would enjoy.
Though I made some major changes to the recipe using everyday ingredients and making it a little more time efficient. I didn’t make my own corn cob stock, and I used frozen corn instead of fresh, and sour cream in place of cream fraiche. I also used regular bacon in lieu of Lardoon bacon (really thick bacon). If you’d like to see the original recipe, click here.
Verdict: This creamed corn was simply amazing. The fresh cilantro and lemon zest add a bright fresh wonderfully flavor to the creamy melt in your mouth smooth corn. I will be making this time and time again.
Be sure to stop by I Blame My Mother to see what the other participants cooked.
Let me show you what I did:
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1/4 pound bacon cut into pieces, 1 small onion, diced, 1 clove garlic minced, 1 bag frozen corn, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 cups chicken stock, 1/2 cup sour cream, 1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves, 1/2 lemon, zested
Chop bacon into bite sized pieces and add to a medium large stock pot over medium high heat.
Meanwhile diced 1 clove of garlic
and one small onion.
Once the bacon has rendered down most of the fat.
Add the onion, cook for about 1 minute.
Then add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds or so.
Then add in the frozen corn
salt
and chicken stock.
Simmer until the chicken stock reduces about 5 minutes.
Then add in the sour cream and cook another 3-4 minutes until cream thickens.
If it doesn’t seem to thicken, in a small dish add a tsp of corn starch and 1 tsp of water, mix and add to the corn mixture, stirring well until the sauce thickens.
Remove from heat.
Then zest half a lemon
and chop 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, add to corn.
Along with the lemon zest. Stir well and serve.
Enjoy!
Creamed Corn with Bacon
Ingredients
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 pound bacon cut into pieces
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic minced
1 bag frozen corn
1 teaspoon salt
1 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves
1 lemon, zested
Directions:
Begin heating a large saucepan, and glaze bottom with the extra-virgin olive oil. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat, rendering the fat and browning the pieces, stirring as needed. Add the onion and sweat, about 45 seconds. Add the garlic and continue to cook, stirring, another 30 seconds. Add the corn and salt, continuing to cook for another 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer, cooking until the liquid reduces to approximately 2/3 cup. Add the sour cream and simmer 3 minutes or until the mixture begins to thicken. If it doesn’t thicken mix a tsp of corn starch with a little water and add to corn, quickly stirring until thickened.
Remove pan from heat; stir in cilantro and lime zest. Check for seasoning and serve.