constituting_dried_peppers1.jpg” alt=”" width=”650″ height=”428″ />So, remember how I said I’d do a demo on reconstituting dried peppers? Well, VOILA! Easy as pie. All you do is pour boiling water over the dried peppers and let them soak for 10-15 minutes or until they’re nice and tender. Stems and seeds can be removed either before or after, but keep in mind if the pepper has a lot of seeds, it could become more difficult post-soak. And don’t forget to wear rubber gloves and/or wash wash wash! Pepper-eye is really no fun!
Note: The water should be discarded after soaking (not used in the cooking process).
~Christie
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So. CLEARLY, there are several ways of roasting corn. The lesson offered for this week is a method for roasting corn without an outdoor grill and more specifically to go into our Mango/Corn Salsa. Why? Well first off, if you don’t have a grill, it’s def not fair that you can’t have roasty toasty delicious corn. Second, this method keeps the corn crunchy and provides tons of flavor.
Step 1: Remove the husk and de-silk the corn. In this case, it’s not HUGELY important to remove all the silk, because you’ll be cutting the corn off and you can make sure to pull the remaining silk out afterward. However, it’s just a good idea to develop the habit; removing a piece of silk from between your teeth while eating can take some of the enjoyment out of the whole ordeal. Fer realz.
Step 2: Before you light the flame, test the way your corn is gonna rest on the grate. All of em are different, and it’s annoying to try to chase the cobs all over the stovetop once it’s going. It just takes a sec and you’ll enjoy the roasting more if you do. Putting two cobs per flame is preferred: it won’t end up taking too long, and therefore you won’t get hasty and remove the corn before it’s thoroughly charred.
Step 3: Roast em. Turn the flame on the gas stovetop about medium high. You want the corn to roast, so it has to be warm enough to do so; don’t be scared. But you also don’t want them to roast too quickly. Since there’s no boiling involved, the heat should warm the corn and then char the outside. This way the sugars in the kernels caramelize and the starches slightly break down. Turn the corn on the grate with a pair of tongs. Let em sit. Let em start popping. All is well. And make sure to get the ends nice and roasty too.
Step 4: You’re done roasting now, but there’s one more step of prepping. One the ears have cooled enough to handle them, cut em in half. BE CAREFUL. Get a good handle on it and press firmly through with a larger (preferably chef’s) knife. Then you can stand them up on the flat side to cut the kernels off. Cut close to the cob and don’t rush. Get them all! Et Voila! A bowl full of roasted corn to use on tacos, in salads, on an omelet…
~ Christie
