Corn Puree with Mushrooms and Burst Tomatoes Recipe
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Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s like polenta, but fresher!
- The corn puree makes a great base for different proteins and vegetables;
- can be served warm or room temp;
- it’s easy and flexible;
- it makes summer last a wee bit longer.
Corn Puree with Mushrooms and Burst Tomatoes Ingredients
- Corn – I used 8 ears of corn. You want to use fresh corn since we’ll be scraping some of its starchy juices off the cob. Corn cobs can be saved to make corn stock.
- Olive oil – use an unrefined olive oil for best flavor.
- Ground turmeric – helps provide a nice yellow color to the corn puree.
- Unsweetened milk (optional) – I sometimes use it to thin out the puree depending on the consistency you prefer. I like to almond or cashew milk here.
- Mushrooms – I love mushrooms of all varieties. 1 pound of mushrooms seems like a lot, but they end up reducing when you cook them. I used shiitake, but you can use cremini, oyster, hen of the woods, or a mix. They would all be delicious here.
- Cherry tomatoes – are amazing when sautéed. You’ll need about a pint for this recipe.
- Fresh herbs – such as thyme (added with the mushrooms), basil, chives, or parsley provide a nice garnish before serving.
How to Make Corn Puree with Mushrooms and Burst Tomatoes
- Cut the kernels over a large bowl, then use the dull end of the knife to scrape any juice from the cob into the bowl. You will have about 4 cups of corn. Discard the cobs or save them to make corn stock (see notes). Add the freshly cut corn and any juices into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. A blender will give you a smoother consistency than a food processor.
- Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and when warm, add the pureed corn, salt, and turmeric. Cook, stirring constantly, until the corn has thickened to the consistency of polenta, about 8 minutes. Taste for seasoning and thin out with a couple drops of milk if needed. Cover and keep off the heat. You can make this an hour or two in advance, reheat gently and add milk to thin it out if needed.
- To make the topping, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and when warm, add the mushrooms and sauté until mushrooms soften, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, thyme, and 2 big pinches of salt plus pepper to taste. Cook tomatoes, stirring, until they start to lose their shape, about 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning and serve over corn puree.
Tips for Making Corn Puree with Mushrooms and Burst Tomatoes
- Since corn is the star ingredient here, you want to use fresh corn, preferably when it’s in season for best flavor.
- Be careful when scraping the juice from the cob since some of the juices may splatter into surrounding areas. That’s why I prefer using a large bowl.
- Corn puree can be made an hour or two in advance from when you plan to serve it. Just keep it covered off the heat and reheat it gently right before serving. You may need to thin it out with some milk.
- Garnish with fresh herbs when ready to serve for a pretty presentation.
Substitutions for Corn Puree with Mushrooms and Burst Tomatoes
- Topping options can be anything from spicy shrimp, scallops, salmon, sautéed peppers, zucchini with garlic and basil or other cooked veggies. Keep in mind that fresh corn is mild and kind of sweet, so choose toppings that have flavor!
- You can make a polenta version of this and the same toppings. Check out this recipe.
- You can swap in butter or plant butter for the olive oil for a richer flavor.
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Corn Puree with Mushrooms and Burst Tomatoes
Ingredients
- Corn Puree:
- 8 ears corn shucked
- 3 Tablespoons unrefined cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 ¼ teaspoons sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
- Optional: Unsweetened unflavored milk of choice, if needed (sometimes I need it, sometimes I don’t; I like almond or oat)
- __________________________________________________
- Topping:
- 2 Tablespoons unrefined cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 pound shiitake mushrooms or any kind wiped clean with a damp paper towel, sliced thinly
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes halved
- Fresh thyme basil and chives would be fabulous, too
- Sea salt and black pepper
Instructions
- Cut the kernels over a large bowl, then use the dull end of the knife to scrape any juice from the cob into the bowl. You will have about 4 cups of corn. Discard the cobs or save them to make corn stock (see notes). Add the freshly cut corn and any juices into a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. A blender will give you a smoother consistency than a food processor.
- Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the oil and when warm, add the pureed corn, salt, and turmeric. Cook, stirring constantly, until the corn has thickened to the consistency of polenta, about 8 minutes. Taste for seasoning and thin out with a couple drops of milk if needed. Cover and keep off the heat. You can make this an hour or two in advance, reheat gently and add milk to thin it out if needed.
- To make the topping, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and when warm, add the mushrooms and sauté until mushrooms soften, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes, thyme, and 2 big pinches of salt plus pepper to taste. Cook tomatoes, stirring, until they start to lose their shape, about 5 minutes. Taste for seasoning and serve over corn puree.
Notes
Corn cobs can be used to make corn stock.
Place corn cobs in a stock pot with plenty of water. You can also add a quartered onion, garlic clove, handful of parsley stems, and two celery stalks for extra flavor. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 1 hour. Strain the stock and use immediately or allow it to cool before storing in the refrigerator or freezer.
Corn stock is great for recipes where you would use vegetable stock, such as soup, rice or risotto.
Topping options can be anything from spicy shrimp, scallops, sautéed peppers, zucchini or other cooked veggies.
Place corn cobs in a stock pot with plenty of water. You can also add a quartered onion, garlic clove, handful of parsley stems, and two celery stalks for extra flavor. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat to a gentle simmer and cook for 1 hour. Strain the stock and use immediately or allow it to cool before storing in the refrigerator or freezer.
Corn stock is great for recipes where you would use vegetable stock, such as soup, rice or risotto.
Topping options can be anything from spicy shrimp, scallops, sautéed peppers, zucchini or other cooked veggies.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
2 Comments
This is delicious! It is so pretty too. Mushrooms are so nutrient packed powerhouses and I look for ways to incorporate them into meals. This is one of those recipes that I will make again and again especially when the corn is fresh. Thanks Pamela!
Completely agree! This corn puree is heavenly when you use fresh corn during the summer.