Hello good people of the interwebs! We hope you’re having a wonderful September so far… we are not going to hit you with the cute corn kid song (“It’s corn!”), but we are going to bring you an easy corn-centric newsletter today… so let’s get to it!
WHAT’S 4 DINNER?: SKILLET BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH CORN
AU: Corn is something that I rarely think about outside of Summer/Early Fall, but whenever I go back to it I’m like, “Damn, why don’t eat this more often?” It’s a real chameleon of a vegetable, and as we know, can be found in so many different forms.
One of my all time favorite corn dishes is a dessert I had at Enrique Olvera’s Cosme in NYC’s Flatiron District. It’s called “The Husk” and is a broken corn meringue made from charred cornhusk powder and filled with the most luscious, sweet-corn-flavored mousse. It’s a bite I will always remember, and a taste that is seared in my brain.
EK: I will literally never forget the first time that I had “The Husk.” Looking at that photo brings back a flood of memories and the excitement of Cosme when it first opened in NYC.
AU: I know, it’s truly one of the best dishes I’ve ever had (dessert or otherwise!). Point is that there are so many ways to make delicious corn-based dishes. It doesn’t just have to be plain, buttered, on the cob! For example, you can make Mexican Esquites, Korean Corn Cheese, or a delicious Corn Panzanella (which is still very much in season, btw).
But school has started back up again, and schedules are getting busier… it’s time to go back to our roots and give you more easy weeknight meals to add to your own culinary arsenal, so you can be a total cornstar at home...
Enter my SKILLET BRAISED CHICKEN THIGHS WITH CORN.
I’ve made this throughout the Summer with fresh corn (cut the kernels from about 4-5 ears for this recipe), and you can do the same if you’ve still got sweet corn popping up at the market. But in the interest of convenience, I tried the recipe with frozen corn, and it’s great, too!
The flavor profile isn’t necessarily in any one category, but it does contain some different ingredients found in Asian cooking like Korean gochujang, Japanese Miso, and the classic combo of garlic, ginger, and chilies. The addition of coconut milk and a hit of lime juice make this a wildly flavorful (and addictive) meal that I know you’re going to love. The end result is like traditional creamed corn’s younger, cooler sister.
I start by using the cold-pan method to crisp up bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs. If you’ve never used this technique to sear chicken, your mind will be blown by how much easier (and how much crispier!) cooking skin-on chicken is this way. All you do is lay seasoned chicken pieces in a dry pan and turn on the heat. As the pan gradually heats, the chicken fat located under the skin slowly begins to render out, producing amazingly crispy results! (It works for bacon, too, btw!)
Once the chicken gets spectacularly crispy on one side, remove them from the pan (they’ll finish cooking later in the oven), and sauté the aromatics in the rendered chicken fat. The combo of fresh ginger, garlic, chilies, shallots and scallion whites will instantly cue a chorus of “What are you cooking? It smells amazing!” After those ingredients have softened, add in your corn and give it a good stir. Add the coconut milk, lime juice and zest, and get it good and bubbly.
Then, nestle the crispy chicken thighs back in the skillet, taking care to keep that skin above the liquid, if possible. Brush the tops of the chicken pieces with a combo of white miso, gochujang, and soy sauce (I use tamari). Pop the whole skillet into a 375ºF oven until the chicken is cooked through, and serve it up with more scallions and cilantro (if you’re so inclined). I love to stretch this meal by serving it over rice. One bite, and you’ll definitely put this dish into heavy rotation! Even if you’re not into the whole one-skillet-chicken-braise thing, make the corn mixture on its own—it’s SO tasty!
NAME A BETTER DUO: CORN & LOBSTAH!
EK: I am on the road again! This time in Newport, RI, where I have vowed to basically only eat corn and lobster! The corn is still growing and I am using these two local ingredients to make a dish that I am serving at a special dinner here.
Because I am known for my grilling and barbecue, the organizers wanted me to put a grilling/barbecue spin on my dish… I thought for a few minutes and decided to make a grilled version of a Rhode Island Lobster Boil with some barbecue flavors.
AU: Elizabeth, you’re speaking my language! I don’t eat lobster very often, but when I do, it’s typically in the Northeast style… And shellfish + corn a perfect pair!
EK: I love lobster with a capital L!! Every summer, my favorite is event is a lobster boil on the beach, but I just moved to Charleston, SC and they don’t do lobster boils, so I am excited to be here in Newport, RI to get my fix! And just like you would seek out responsible/sustainable purveyors of meat and poultry, it’s important to apply the same principles to seafood.
The traditional New England lobster boil dinner is a lobster + butter, a piece of corn, and a bag of potato chips.
I created a dish that’s a grilled “barbecue” version of a New England lobster boil with a grilled lobster tail, BBQ butter, corn sauté and potato chips (optional)!
Because I wanted to evoke classic barbecue notes, I made my Classic Barbecue Rub and mixed a generous amount into softened unsalted butter to make a compound butter. But that wasn’t enough smoky goodness for me, so I added crispy applewood bacon… and that secret ingredient is what really sets it apart!
Once the butter is made, you’ve got your big flavor for the dish! I use the butter to baste the lobster and flavor the corn. I never thought that the corn would trump the lobster for me, but sautéed with this BBQ Butter, it’s my favorite part of the dish!
I used fresh corn because it is still readily available but you could make this dish with good quality frozen corn as well.
I know that people are afraid of taking the corn off the cob because it is not stable and it often makes a mess!
AU: It’s literally my least favorite thing to do…
EK: I have a hack for you that also makes it easy to transfer it to your sauté pan!
I place a sheet of parchment paper on a small sheet pan and turn a bowl with a flat bottom upside down. You may have seen people cut corn in a bundt pan, and that works too, but I think this is easier, and getting the kernels to your pan is extra easy.
I make sure that my corn cob has a flat bottom (cut a small slice off either end so it is stable) and I place it on the bottom of the bowl. Hold the corn straight with one hand and cut down the cob; turn the corn cob a quarter turn, and cut all the way down again. Repeat until all the corn is cut off the cob.
Next, pick up the parchment and slide the kernels into your pan! You can also do this in advance or as you grill the lobster tail.
HOT TIP: If you don’t want lobster tails to curl as they cook, just stick a skewer through the meat.
Fresh lobster tails will take about 4 minutes a side, depending on size. You want to cook them hot and fast! You can also cook them from frozen, but they will take an extra 4-5 minutes to cook.
While the lobster cooks, heat the corn on low with a healthy amount of the barbecue compound butter. We are cooking the corn low and slow!
I created the corn as a way to present the lobster, but instead it became the star of the dish! I’ve made it several times to go with steak and chicken, as well as the lobster tail—but it would be good with anything—a fun barbecue side too!
This is my new go-to corn side dish. And the good news is that it reheats really well. If you are someone who freezes fresh corn, so you can eat it all winter, you could keep this in rotation all year long. The butter is so flavorful that I am sure you can make it with frozen corn too!!
That’s it for this week! As always, if you make our recipes, tag us on the ‘gram (@kitchensitch & @elizabethkarmel), and use the hashtag #whats4dinner. Happy cooking!!