Martha Harrington of Conway, Massachusetts told us about this recipe when it first came out a few weeks ago in Food & Wine. With corn season almost upon us here in New England, it seemed to be perfect timing. So, of course, we asked her to help us make it. (A year ago, Martha made her Puffy Omelette with Roasted Grapes for us.)
It has a few Korean ingredients which are easily purchased online if you don’t have a Korean grocery nearby.
Doenjang Cream Cheese Corn
By Junghyun Park for Food & Wine
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
6 bacon slices (about 5 ounces), thinly sliced crosswise (about 3/4 cup)
3/4 cup panko
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 1/2 cups (18 ounces) fresh sweet yellow corn kernels (from 6 ears), divided. (We won’t be able to buy corn on the cob for a few weeks, so we settled for frozen corn.)
3/4 cup whole milk
1 1/2 ounces Taleggio cheese, grated
2 tablespoons doenjang, Korean soybean paste. (This gives it a distinctive flavor, so it’s worth finding.)
1 teaspoon yondu, a gluten-free soy sauce alternative. (You can use tamari or regular soy sauce.)
2 ounces low-moisture part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup)
1 scallion, cut into thin 2-inch strips
Directions:
1. Heat bacon in a large skillet over medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crispy, 10 to 12 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon drippings in skillet. Add panko and salt to skillet; cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl; stir in 1/4 cup cooked bacon. Set remaining bacon and panko-bacon mixture aside.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large saucepan over medium. Add 1 1/2 cups corn; cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add milk, and bring to a simmer over medium. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until liquid has reduced to about 1/4 cup, about 20 minutes.
3. Combine Taleggio, doenjang, yondu and corn-milk mixture in a blender. Secure lid on blender, and remove center piece to allow steam to escape. Place a clean towel over opening. Process until smooth, about 20 seconds. Set aside.
4. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add remaining cooked bacon and remaining 2 cups corn kernels; cook, stirring often, until corn is tender, about 3 minutes. Add Taleggio mixture, and stir until well combined. Stir in mozzarella until melted. Season with salt to taste. Transfer to serving bowl; top with panko-bacon mixture and scallion slices, and serve immediately.
