Frank Camorra's barbecued corn salad with mozzarella and cornbread recipes

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This was published 9 years ago

Frank Camorra's barbecued corn salad with mozzarella and cornbread recipes

By Frank Camorra

Corn has a long and distinguished history, from its beginning in the Americas as a staple crop that was often ground and made into a rustic dough then cooked on a hot stone. Christopher Columbus brought it to Europe in the 15th century and its popularity grew from there.

I love cooking with sweet corn, for example grilling it on a barbecue or griddle, shaving off the blackened kernels and adding them to salads and coleslaw. I often fold them into a batter for pancakes or ricotta fritters. I also cook the kernels slowly with stock and milk, turning it into a sweet and savoury stew, then whiz it in a food processor and serve the puree with a charcoal chicken. My kids' favourite is the simplest: I blanch the cobs whole, douse them with butter, sprinkle with coarse salt and sit down with them to enjoy the crunchy goodness.

Barbecued corn salad with buffalo mozzarella.

Barbecued corn salad with buffalo mozzarella. Credit: Marcel Aucar

I love this simple salad, so fresh and colourful. Corn bread is very versatile – it can be enjoyed with maple syrup and bacon or some refried chilli beans. When it is straight from the oven, I just eat it straight with salted butter.

Barbecued corn salad with buffalo mozzarella

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus a little to grill corn and drizzle

3 corn cobs

2 Lebanese cucumbers, peeled

3 tbsp pedro ximenez vinegar

½ cup mint, chopped

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½ cup coriander leaves

4 tbsp natural yoghurt

2 tbsp whole almonds, toasted and chopped

4 pickled onions, sliced

2 buffalo mozzarella balls

Heat the barbecue and rub a little oil over the corn cobs. Grill the corn for about 10 minutes, until the kernels have some colour. Slice the cucumber thinly and place in a bowl. Slice the kernels off the cobs and add to the cucumber. Mix the vinegar and remaining oil, pour over the corn and cucumber and toss well. Mix in the herbs, leaving a little to garnish, and season with salt and pepper. To serve, spoon a couple of dobs of yoghurt on each plate. Spoon corn mix over the plate, then top with almonds and pickled onion. Break the mozzarella into a few pieces and add to the salad. Sprinkle the remaining herbs over and some more olive oil. Season with a little salt and cracked pepper.

Serves 4

Corn bread

1 cup cornmeal

1 cup plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup butter, melted

2 eggs, beaten

2 tbsp brown sugar

4 green onions, chopped

Preheat oven to 180. Grease a small heavy frypan and place a small circle of baking paper in the bottom. Whisk cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Mix buttermilk and melted butter in a separate bowl; gradually stir into the cornmeal mixture to make a batter. Mix eggs and sugar into the batter. Fold green onions through the batter and pour into the prepared frypan. Bake until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to cool on a wire rack.

Serves 4

TIP

When buying pickled onions, try to find them in malt vinegar – they have a richer flavour. The cornbread can be cooked in a round baking tin if you don't have the right frypan.

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