Recipe: Recipes Using Corn and Goat Cheese - 5

CORN AND GOAT CHEESE QUESO
Source: Emeril Lagasse /FoodTV

2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup minced onions
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 cups fresh corn, about 6 ears
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 jalapeno, stemmed, seeded and chopped
8 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 to 1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup brunoise tomato
2 to 3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Homemade or store bought tortilla chips, for serving

In a saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the onions and saute for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the corn and saute 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the garlic, jalapenos, cheese and cream. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until thickened. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle tomatoes and cilantro over top and serve with tortilla chips.

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GOAT CHEESE QUESADILLAS WITH TOMATO AND CORN SALSA
Source: Campfire Cuisine, Epicurious, 2006
by Robin Donovan

Tangy goat cheese pairs well with spicy salsa for a quick and delicious appetizer or vegetarian entr e. Serve these with extra salsa and guacamole.

Olive oil spray or nonstick cooking spray
8 10-inch flour tortillas
12 ounces soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled (about 1 1/2 cups)
Tomato and Corn Salsa (see below)

Grill Method:
Spray one side of a tortilla with oil and place it, oiled side down, on the grill over medium-high heat. Top with one-quarter (about 3 ounces) of the cheese and one-quarter of the salsa. Spray one side of a second tortilla with oil, and place it on top of the first, oiled side up. Cook, about 3 minutes, until the bottom tortilla is golden brown. Turn the quesadilla over and continue cooking, about 3 minutes more, until the bottom is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Remove from the grill and cut into wedges. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, cheese, and salsa. Serve immediately.

Camp Stove Method:
Spray a large skillet with oil and warm over medium-high heat on the stove. Place 1 tortilla in the hot skillet, and top with one-quarter (about 3 ounces) of the cheese and one-quarter of the salsa. Top with a second tortilla. Cook, about 3 minutes, until the bottom tortilla is golden brown. Turn the quesadilla over and continue cooking, about 3 minutes more, until the bottom is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Remove from the skillet and cut into wedges. Repeat with the remaining tortillas, cheese, and salsa. Serve immediately.

Make It at Home:
Make it a meal by adding broiled shrimp. Preheat the broiler. Spread 1 pound of peeled shrimp in a single layer on a baking sheet, spray with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Broil, about 2 minutes, until the shrimp is cooked through. Split each shrimp in half lengthwise. Continue with preparation per the camp-stove method. Add 1/4 cup of the shrimp to each quesadilla along with the cheese and salsa.

Serves 8 to 10 as an appetizer, 4 to 6 as an entr e.

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TOMATO AND CORN SALSA

Use this fresh, spicy salsa to top grilled steak tacos or as a dip for tortilla chips.

1 small red onion, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
Juice of 2 limes
4 red or green jalape o chiles, seeded and finely chopped
4 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup fresh or frozen (thawed) corn kernels
1 cup chopped cilantro

Place the chopped onion in a bowl, sprinkle with the salt, squeeze the lime juice over, and set aside for 15 to 20 minutes. Add the chopped chiles, tomatoes, corn, and cilantro to the onion mixture, and stir. Serve immediately.

Makes about 2 cups.

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CORN AND GOAT CHEESE FLAN
Source: Crazy for Corn via DMN (6/19/96)
Servings: 6

8 ears corn, kernels cut (to make 4 cups)
1/2 pound fresh goat cheese
6 eggs
salt and freshly ground black pepper -- to taste
Cayenne or pure ground NM-style chile -- optional
butter -- as needed

PREHEAT OVEN TO 325F.

Butter six small souffle dishes; set aside. Put kernels in food processor and puree. Crumble cheese over top and puree again. Add eggs one at a through lid with machine running. Add seasonings and puree again.

Scoop mixture into prepared souffle dishes and bake 20 - 30 minutes or until the center is set.

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CORN AND GOAT CHEESE BREAD PUDDING
Source: Better Recipes / Sally Sibthorpe

Goat cheese is a pure white goat's-milk cheese with a tart flavor. Store it, tightly wrapped, in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
2 cups fresh or frozen corn
1 tablespoon snipped fresh thyme
6 ounces semi-soft goat cheese (chevre), cut into cubes
2 1/4 cups stale French bread cubes
2 cups half-and-half or light cream
2 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Spray a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish or baking pan with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In a skillet cook shallot and bell pepper in hot olive oil over medium heat about 2 minutes or until tender. Stir in corn and thyme. Remove from heat. Place goat cheese and bread cubes in a large bowl; fold in corn mixture. Whisk together half-and-half, eggs, salt, pepper, and nutmeg; fold into corn mixture. Transfer to prepared casserole. Bake about 1 1/4 hours or until set and golden brown.

Number of Servings: 6

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CORN AND GOAT CHEESE CHILI CON QUESO WITH SOURDOUGH CORNBREAD
Source: Emeril Lagasse, 2002 / FoodTV

Sourdough Cornbread, recipe follows
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions
2 cups fresh sweet corn kernels
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons fresh jalapeno, seeded and chopped
8 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup heavy cream

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Once the cornbread is completely cooled, cut in half horizontally and then into 3/4-inch cubes. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Turn with a spatula and bake until firm and lightly toasted, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let cool and harden.

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, corn, salt, and cayenne and cook, stirring, until very soft, 5 minutes. Add the garlic and jalapeno, stir to mix, and cook for 1 minute. Add the cheese and cream and cook gently over low heat, stirring, until the cheese melts and the mixture is smooth. Remove from the heat and pour into a decorative bowl, surrounded by the cornbread cubes. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

SOURDOUGH CORNBREAD:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup sourdough starter, recipe follows
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
2 whole eggs, beaten
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Pour the oil into a 9-inch cast-iron skillet or round pan, and preheat in the oven.
In a small bowl, combine the cornmeal, sugar, salt, and baking soda. In a large bowl, combine the starter, buttermilk, eggs and butter, and blend well. Add the dry ingredients, and stir until combined without overmixing. Remove the hot skillet from the oven. Pour the batter into the hot skillet and bake until golden, 25 to 30 minutes.

BASIC SOURDOUGH STARTER:
3 cups warm water (110 degrees F)
1 1/2 tablespoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour

In a large bowl, combine the water, yeast, and sugar. Let sit until the yeast becomes foamy, about 5 minutes. (If the yeast does not foam, discard the mixture and begin again with a new yeast.)
Add the flour and stir vigorously to work air into the mixture. Cover with a towel let rest in a warm, draft-free place (an oven with its pilot light or light bulb turned on works well) for 8 to12 hours. (The mixture should become very bubbly.) Use immediately or cover loosely with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator.

Preserving the Starter: Each time you remove a portion of the starter for a recipe, reserve at least 1/4 cup and replace the amount you have taken out with equal amounts of flour and water.

For example, if you remove 1 cup of starter, you must replace it with 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of warm water. Whisk these ingredients into the starter until blended but not completely smooth, cover loosely, and return to the refrigerator.

Also, the starter must be maintained by feeding it every few days. Refresh by removing 1 cup of the starter (give to a friend or discard it) and adding 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of warm water. Whisk until blended but not smooth. Cover loosely and return to the refrigerator.

If you plan to be away longer than a week, freeze the starter in a sterilized, airtight freezer container. Thaw the starter 2 days before you plan to bake with it. Refresh as indicated above with 1 cup each of flour and warm water. Cover and leave at room temperature 12 hours or overnight before using.

CAUTION: Never keep your starter tightly closed! The gasses expelled by the yeast will build up pressure and may cause the container (such as a glass jar) to burst!

Yield: 5 to 6 cups