A-Maize-Ing Endings with Corn
By Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD
Corn and History
Visit the pueblos of New Mexico and watch for bunches of dried, multi-colored corn hanging in kitchens to protect the houses and bless their inhabitants. Corn is sacred in Native American culture. The cycle of a person's life is thought to resemble that of corn, from green youth to parched old age.
An ear of corn is a giant seed pod; peel back the husk and the silk and find the seeds. Each seed is enclosed in an individual outer skin (the kernel) which contains the endosperm (the meat of the kernel) and the germ (where a lot of the nutrition is). The corn's endo-sperm determines the flavor and texture of the ear.
There are five kinds of native Indian corn from which all the hybrids have been created. These are pop, flint, dent, flour, and sweet. Popcorn pops because of its ability to hold in moisture; when you heat popcorn you create steam inside each kernel. When enough pressure builds up, the skin explodes and turns the endosperm inside out. Now you know why popcorn pops! Flint is the variety with the most protein and the hardest starch, most difficult to digest. Dent has waxy starch and is easier for humans and animals to digest. Flour corn has a high ratio of starch, and sweet corn has a high ratio of sugar. All varieties of corn can be eaten raw or cooked.
Corn Vocabulary
Fresh corn is available several months a year, but frozen, dried, canned, and milled varieties of corn are available year round. "Green" corn, fresh corn that is just ripe, is usually the type sold to be eaten fresh. It can be eaten raw, shaved into salads, used as a garnish, cooked on or off the cob to be eaten alone, or used as an ingredient. The sweet corn variety is the type most often sold fresh.
Because in many parts of the US, the summer season is short and the winter is long, Native Americans began the practice of allowing most of the corn crop to be harvested when mature - when the sugar had turned to starch. It would then be hung to dry, and later rehydrated by cooking in liquid, or the kernels eaten dry, like nuts.
Corn contains vitamins and amino acids locked into fibers that make them unavailable to humans and animals. The Native American invention of processing corn with ash (made from burning fragrant wood, such as juniper) or limestone added calcium that corn was missing and released the nutrients it contained. Processed with ash (as in corn flour), corn becomes a highly nutritious food. In addition, ash acts as a sweetener and a leavener for corn doughs. Modern baking aids, such as baking powder and cream of tartar, are the cousins of Native American ash.
Hominy is dried corn that is soaked or boiled with lime or ash to remove the hull. This processing gives hominy the "exploded kernel" look. Hominy can be chopped and used in corn bread or corn muffins for extra texture.
Corn grits are ground hominy, which can be coarse or fine. Grits make an excellent hot breakfast cereal. Leftover cooked grits can be used in baking recipes to substitute for some of the flour and liquid. Sweeten leftover grits with syrup, allow to set, and then slice and bake or fry. Serve with sliced fruit for a corn dessert.
Masa is freshly ground corn meal made from wet hominy (hominy that has been soaked to rehydrate it). Masa is the "binder" in tamales and is often available commercially. Masa harina is masa mixed with flour. Both can be used to prepare sweet tamales, which are sweetened with chopped pineapple, raisins, coconut, and cinnamon, rather than savory tamales, flavored with chilies, pepper, and onion. Masa and masa harina have neutral, slightly sweet corn flavors and can be used for sweet or savory dishes. Masa is perishable, so if you purchase or prepare it yourself, refrigerate until ready to use.
Atole and pinole are toasted white or yellow cornmeal, ground very finely. Atole is left plain, and pinole is sweetened and spiced to be used with heated milk as a breakfast item. You can create your own pinole by thickening heated soy or rice milk with fine corn meal and a sweetener of your choice. Additional ingredients can be vanilla, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and raisins. You can find packages of "Maizena," a powdered mix of cornstarch, salt, and calcium carbonate, at Hispanic grocery stores. Available in several flavors, it is mixed with hot milk, sweetened, and simmered until it thickens. Served with bread and fruit, this makes a complete breakfast. Or, you can allow it to thicken, add cooked rice and raisins, and serve it as a sweet dessert.
Beyond the Cob
Cornmeal is the product of grinding dried corn. The grinding can be done by hand, with a mortar and pestle, or done with stone rotation grinders or steel disks. Wet milling is done with dried corn that has been soaked. Ground between metal disks, the germ is removed for oil, and the gluten separated for processing into corn starch and corn syrup. Dry milling crushes dry corn kernels and removes the germ and the hull to make a meal with a texture between grits and flour. Cornmeal can be yellow, white, or blue, depending on the type of corn used, and is available in coarse or fine textures. The color of cornmeal does not influence the flavor. Finely-ground meal gives more tender baked goods, with coarse-ground giving more texture. The choice is yours.
If you would like a sweet and nutty flavored cornmeal (excellent for use in desserts and baked goods), look for stone-ground cornmeal. Some of the germ is retained when the corn is stone-ground, so the flavor and more of the nutrients are left in. Fresh-ground whole cornmeal should be stored in the refrigerator to keep it fresh.
Sweet Corn Tips
The Zuni Indians prepare a corn dessert consisting of cornmeal, sweetener, and water, which is boiled and eaten with nuts. Another Zuni corn dessert is a sweet pudding which is made by wrapping cornmeal in cornhusks and allowing it to ferment. The natural fermentation develops the sugar in the corn. Fresh "green" corn can be parched by toasting it in oil until it takes on the texture of nuts, and then sweetened and eaten like peanuts. Navajo kneel-down bread resembles a corn pudding, made with mashed fresh corn and dried fruit and nuts, wrapped in husks and baked. Blue corn griddle cakes, made in the Southwest, are prepared with blue cornmeal, wheat flour, baking powder, and milk. Cornbread can be sweet or savory, made with cornmeal (any color will do), wheat flour, baking powder, milk, eggs (use blended tofu or egg replacer), and raisins. Fresh corn can also be added for additional texture and sweetening.
Polenta is the Mediterranean version of cornmeal mush. Cornmeal and water are combined over heat to form a hot cereal, which can be thick or thin, depending on your preference. Polenta can be sweetened with syrup or chopped fresh or dried fruit. Leftover polenta can be left to set, and sliced or cut out with cookie cutters, then baked or fried for a dessert, served with soy- or rice-based frozen desserts or sorbet.
Spoon bread is a Southern American regional dish, prepared in a skillet with cornmeal and hot water or milk. Steamed on top of the stove, spoon bread, also called hot water cornbread, can be a sweet or savory side dish. Try a sweet spoon bread served with fruit preserves.
Indian Pudding is a cornmeal and molasses, oven-steamed dessert that originated in New England. This rich-looking dessert can be served hot or cold, served with fruit or sorbet, and is a good way to use molasses in cooking. Indian pudding can also be a sweet breakfast meal in a bowl, served with hot milk and fruit.
Fresh corn, cornmeal, and other corn products are excellent ingredients for the sweet part of the meal. Try the following corn recipes and you will be a-maize-d!
Crumiri (Horseshoe-Shaped Cookies)
(Makes 2 dozen cookies)
These crumbly, tender cookies come from the Piedmont region of Italy. They are traditionally made on Saturday evenings to be enjoyed on Sunday. Leave them plain or top them with toasted sesame seeds.
7 ounces vegan margarine, softened (if unsalted is available, use it)
3/4 cup granulated sweetener
3 teaspoons egg replacer whisked with 7 Tablespoons water
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup fine yellow cornmeal
Vegetable oil spray (to grease pans)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Cream the margarine and sweetener together until light and fluffy. Add egg replacer and water, slowly, mixing thoroughly so that mixture is fluffy.
Sift the flour and cornmeal together. Add to margarine mixture and combine well.
The dough can be piped through a pastry bag or shaped by hand. By hand, roll out logs of dough, 4 inches long and 1/2-inch wide, and place on greased cookie sheets two inches apart. Shape into horseshoes.
Bake for about 12 minutes or until golden. Cool before serving.
| Total calories per cookie: 132 | Fat: 7 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 17 grams | Protein: 1 gram |
| Sodium: 90 milligrams | Fiber: <1 gram |
Cornmeal Cake of Love
(Makes 3 loaves made in 10-inch pans)
Called "amor polenta" in the Italian region of Briazana, near Como, this cornmeal pound cake can be eaten plain; sliced, toasted and served with fruit preserves; or made ahead of time and frozen.
3/4 cup plus 3 Tablespoons margarine (unsalted or low salt is best)
1 cup granulated sweetener
6 teaspoons egg replacer whisked with 1/4 cup water
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3/4 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
2-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
Vegetable oil spray
Cornmeal to coat pan
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream the margarine and the sweetener with an electric mixer (this recipe can be done by hand, but you'll use all your muscles!), using the whisk attachment if you have one. Cream until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes on medium speed). Add the egg replacer and water slowly, beating fully after each addition. The batter should turn a lemony yellow. Stir in the almond extract and combine.
Sift the dry ingredients (flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and zest) and fold into the batter. Combine just to wet the ingredients and remove lumps.
Spray loaf pans with oil and coat with cornmeal. Pour batter into pans. Bake for about 30 minutes or until knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Remove from pans while still slightly warm.
Notes: For authenticity, replace almond extract with 3 Tablespoons of maraschino liqueur. The key to this recipe is to get the margarine and egg replacer very fluffy and then to mix the remaining ingredients as minimally as possible to obtain a smooth batter. Egg replacer is a powdered vegan product. Contact Ener-G www.ener-g.com> or (800) 331-5222 for information on product distribution. (Thank you, Chef James Lisanti, for sharing your knowledge and expertise with this recipe.)
| Total calories per slice (1/8 loaf): 121 | Fat: 7 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 14 grams | Protein: 1 gram |
| Sodium: 198 milligrams | Fiber: <1 gram |
Cornmeal Waffles
(Makes eight 6-inch waffles)
Kids will enjoy these waffles!
2 cups cake flour
2 cups yellow cornmeal
2 Tablespoons baking powder
3 Tablespoons granulated sweetener
6 teaspoons egg replacer whisked with 1/4 cup water
2 cups soy or rice milk
1/2 cup melted vegan margarine
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Sift all dry ingredients together. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, beat egg replacer and water, and stir in milk and margarine. Mix in the oil.
Mix dry and wet ingredients together and beat until mixture is fluffy. Spoon onto preheated oiled waffle iron and bake until golden and crispy.
| Total calories per waffle: 357 | Fat: 15 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 51 grams | Protein: 6 grams |
| Sodium: 539 milligrams | Fiber: 3 grams |
Cornmeal Pudding (Indian Pudding)
(Makes twelve 1/2-cup servings)
This dish is delicious!
6 cups soymilk (plain or vanilla)
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup molasses
1/4 cup granulated sweetener
1 teaspoon powdered ginger
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3 teaspoons egg replacer whisked with 7 Tablespoons water
Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
In a double boiler, heat milk until just below boiling. Reduce heat and slowly add cornmeal. Stir and allow to thicken for 15 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine.
Remove from heat. Pour into a baking dish (cake pans or muffins tins are fine) and bake for 2 1/2 hours or until knife inserted in middle comes out clean. If using muffin tins, grease and flour them first, and bake at 275 degrees.
| Total calories per serving: 139 | Fat: 3 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 26 grams | Protein: 5 grams |
| Sodium: 31 milligrams | Fiber: 3 grams |
Sweet Polenta
(Makes 5 cups)
Sweet Polenta can be served as a breakfast cereal plain or with chopped fruit and nuts. Leftover polenta can be packed into a loaf pan, allowed to set, and fried in slices with cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. It can also be baked whole and then sliced. Serve with soy- or rice-based frozen desserts, sorbet, or sliced fresh or canned fruit.
4 cups soy or rice milk
2 teaspoons salt
1 cup cornmeal
1 Tablespoon apple juice concentrate
In a double boiler, bring milk to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Add salt and mix. Add cornmeal SLOWLY (or it will clump), stirring constantly. Add concentrate and mix to combine. Stir until smooth (30 minutes). Allow to simmer, covered, for 1/2 to 2 1/2 hours, depending on desired consistency.
| Total calories per cup serving: 172 | Fat: 4 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 26 grams | Protein: 8 grams |
| Sodium: 955 milligrams | Fiber: 5 grams |
Corn and Nut Bread
(Makes 8 servings from a 2-quart baking dish)
You'll absolutely love this bread!
1 cup white cornmeal
1 cup boiling water
1 cup soymilk
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/3 cup soft tofu
3 teaspoons vegetable oil
3 Tablespoons softened vegan margarine
4 ounces cooked corn
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup finely ground nuts
Vegetable oil spray
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place cornmeal in a bowl, pour water over, and allow to soften (about 2 minutes).
Blend milk, lemon juice, tofu, and vegetable oil together and add to cornmeal. Combine well. Add in the margarine and corn and stir well.
Stir together the salt, baking powder, soda, and nuts and add to corn mixture. Mix to combine.
Place batter in sprayed 2-quart baking pan or casserole. Bake for 45 minutes, or until top is golden brown and knife inserted in middle comes out clean.
| Total calories per serving: 184 | Fat: 12 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 17 grams | Protein: 4 grams |
| Sodium: 559 milligrams | Fiber: 2 grams |
Nancy Berkoff is a chef and regular contributor to Vegetarian Journal, as well as the VRG Food Service Advisor. She resides in California.
