Smoky Corn Farina with Tomato Salad from ‘The New Mediterranean Table’
Photograph by Matt Lien
From Yahoo Food’s Cookbook of the Week: The New Mediterranean Table by Sameh Wadi
Smoky Corn Farina with Tomato Salad
4-6 servings
Farina, or cream of wheat, is a fairly bland cereal grain; think of it as grits or polenta. In this recipe the farina is cooked in a savory combination of smoky corn stock and smoked cheese with sweet corn, topped with a refreshing tomato salad. Serve it alongside braised or roasted meats.
For the Tomato Salad
1 lb (454 g) assorted sizes and colors heirloom tomatoes, cut into wedges
2 tbsp (30 ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp (15 ml) champagne vinegar
1 small shallot, thinly sliced
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
A handful small basil leaves, for garnish
For the Corn Farina
1 cup (240 ml) Smoky Corn Stock (see recipe) or vegetable stock
1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
5 tbsp (55 g) farina
2 tbsp (28 g) unsalted butter, diced
2 cups (308 g) sweet corn kernels, reserved from making the stock
½ cup (57 g) grated smoked cheddar cheese
Sea salt
For the Tomato Salad
In a medium bowl, gently toss the tomatoes with the rest of the ingredients, excluding the basil, and season with salt and pepper.
For the Corn Farina
Combine the stock and milk in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil over moderate-high heat, stirring from time to time, being careful not to scorch the milk. Lower the heat to moderate and slowly mix in the farina and stir constantly. Continue to cook for 5–10 minutes, until the farina thickens and large bubbles appear on the surface. Remove from the heat and incorporate the butter, corn kernels and cheese and season with salt. Spoon the farina into a serving bowl, top with the tomato salad and garnish with a few leaves of basil and some freshly ground black pepper.
Smoky Corn Stock
This smoky variation of the basic corn stock, lends a charred flavor that comes from grilling the corncobs. Alternatively, you could smoke the cobs and make the smoky flavor more pronounced.
3–4 cups (700-900 ml) 6 ears corn, shucked, kernels removed and reserved for other use
4 garlic cloves, lightly crushed with the back of a knife
1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 fresh bay leaf
Sea salt
Preheat the gas or charcoal grill to high heat. Grill the corncobs over high heat, until they start to char and turn black, about 5 minutes per side. Place the onions on the grill with the cut side down, for about 6–8 minutes, until they are well charred. Remove the corncobs and onions from the grill and place on a cutting board. Once cooled, cut the onion into slices and the corn into quarters. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a medium pot with the onions, corn and 9 cups (2.1 L) water, season with salt and bring to a boil. Continue to cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 30 minutes. Strain the corn stock and discard the solids.
Reprinted with permission from The New Mediterranean Table by Sameh Wadi (Page Street Publishing).
More tomato salads to try this summer:
