Find calm in corn amidst the chaos.
Global reflections and some kick-ass sweetcorn recipes to spark joy
Kia ora friends,
It’s fair to say that a lot has happened in the world since my last newsletter. We have witnessed major devastation in the form of natural disasters in many corners of the globe, most notably the Kahramanmaras earthquake in Türkiye and Syria, and Cyclone Gabrielle in my home nation of Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Seeing the impact of these events on the landscape and lives of the affected communities has been sobering, and my heart goes out to you reading this, as well as the families of those whose loved ones have been lost, and those who continue to suffer.
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It has been equally heart-warming though to see the ways in which people have been able to do their bit to try and support those afflicted. There are many agencies and groups who have rallied to raise funds and provide aid, refuge and service to these areas. Below are a couple of links to some pages (and there are many others out there online) where you can donate as much or as little as you can to support:
https://www.whitehelmets.org/en/
https://www.redcross.org.nz/support-us/our-current-appeals/turkey-syria-earthquakes-appeal/
https://givealittle.co.nz/l/cyclone-gabrielle
https://en.tetaurawhiri.govt.nz/gabrielle-fundraisers
Let’s make things a little SWEETER
So with all that being said, in this week’s newsletter I hope that you’ll find a few ideas to spark some joy in your kitchen. In New Zealand, despite the recent weather we’re coming to the end of summer. These final weeks are the ones I cherish the most, a final dash to savour the bounty of produce that summer has blessed us with, before the change of Autumn settles in the air. An undoubted favourite in my kitchen, this includes the last of the fresh SWEETCORN, those bright juicy cobs of goodness that have been the heroes of barbecues and banquets (and that you always forgive for getting stuck in your teeth without fail).
People often associate sweetcorn (despite its name) with savoury foods – in NZ it is often part of a classic Christmas roast – but it is equally delicious when utilised in sweet treats and desserts. One of my favourite ways to eat corn is in fritters, such as these Spiced sweetcorn + apple fritters with maple-lime tahini yoghurt. Here, the fresh corn cobs are boiled and stripped of their kernels, which are combined with apple, spices and a chickpea flour batter for a crunchy vegan and gluten-free dessert that’s sure to impress.
Corn: an a-maize-ing base to play with flavour and texture.
While sweetcorn is delicious eaten on its own straight from the cob, it can also be an excellent canvas on which you can play with other flavour combinations to balance and highlight its sweetness and buttery-yet-earthy taste. Grilling corn is one way to further enhance its flavour, which can be easily done on a barbecue or in a dry frying pan on the stovetop. The heat caramelises the natural sugars to maximise their potential, and brings a welcome smokiness too. For me, I like to try and balance its sweetness with floral and umami tones, and my recipe for Harissa portobello steaks with saffron sweetcorn purée and pomegranate does just that. This is great as a speedy main or a sharing plate as part of a larger spread, and is my top recommendation for the next time you want to cook with corn.
Fortunately, it’s easy to get frozen corn kernels from the supermarket all-year-round, and as such, all of my sweetcorn recipes on the website are versatile in that they can also be made with frozen kernels if fresh corn is out of season.
That’s enough from me for now. As I write this, I’m actually about to drive to Te Anau to chuck my pack on and hike the Milford Track, one of Aotearoa’s ‘Great Walks’ – it’s well worth doing one, two or all of them if you ever get the chance.
Less sweetcorn, more scroggin for me over the next few days :)
Happy cooking,
Alby xx
this week’s MOOD BOOSTER:
Cheesy sweetcorn + greens empanadas with olive salsa yoghurt
These baked empanadas are packed with serious flavour; the combo of juicy corn, silverbeet, caramelised onions and double cheese is everything you never knew you needed. Then there’s the flaky pastry that sends these bad boys to god-mode. Served with a creamy kicker dipping sauce, one is never enough.
Best of the season this fortnight (NZ):
Rock melon
Early figs
Sweetcorn (last of the summer crop)
Stone fruit (last of the summer crop)
Green beans
Tomatoes
New season apples and pears
Kitchen music of the moment:
Spotify has spun me some interesting jams in the kitchen this week, but one of the earworms I’m now throwing on repeat is Cognitive Dissonance by Sophie Holohan – worth a look for an indie-pop vibe.
With Turkey in the global spotlight, I’ve been reminiscing on my trip to this incredible country last year. When in Istanbul, we stumbled across a public music festival, where we watched Turkish pop singer Berkay live. Here’s a link to his latest single, Sonunda.
Interesting reads:
Amidst the rising impacts of climate on growing food, this article highlights some of the crops that are most at risk. https://www.salon.com/2023/02/06/six-foods-that-climate-change-is-going-to-ruin/
A look at the history of corn in Mexico, “the food with which the gods chose to feed mankind”. https://www.wbcsd.org/Overview/Panorama/Articles/Of-maize-and-men
A worthwhile read that I highly recommend: ‘The Fate of Food’ by ‘Amanda Little’ https://nextbigideaclub.com/magazine/fate-food-well-eat-bigger-hotter-smarter-world-bookbite/27681/
I’ve recently discovered British-Jamaican singer turned cook Denai Moore’s outstanding website and Instagram, where she share’s Jamaican-inspired vegan dishes. Her cookbook ‘Plentiful’ is out later this year and looks an absolute treat. https://www.deestable.com/blog