As winter approaches and the nights grow dark and cold, some hearty and warming recipe ideas can be just the ticket to perk up dinner time. Whilst sweetcorn is typically associated with BBQs and the summer, it's a surprisingly versatile ingredient, which works equally well in more wintery dishes. It adds vibrancy to soups and stews, offering contrasting textures and brilliant colours to bring meals to life.
Sweetcorn offers numerous health benefits, as in addition to being a great source of fibre, it's rich in vitamins A and C, and B-group vitamins. Fresh sweetcorn, purchased on the cob, is the best way to enjoy this versatile vegetable, when it is at its peak for nutrients and flavour. Fresh sweetcorn on the cob is preferable in these respects to tinned and frozen sweetcorn, which cannot compare for texture, flavour and colour, and offer no greater convenience in preparation methods.
The following new recipes are from leading grower and supplier of fresh sweetcorn Barfoots.
Have a look at the three suggested sweetcorn recipes by Barfoots
As Latin American cuisine grows in popularity in the UK, this simple one-pot stew is certain to be a hit with the whole family. It's a flavoursome, warming recipe, the fresh coriander and chillies offer a kick of heat balanced by the sweetness of the red pepper and sweetcorn.
Serves: 4
Preperation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 50-55 minutes
Ingredients:
For the herb paste:
50g bunch of fresh coriander
2 large green chillies, deseeded
1 bunch of spring onion, trimmed
1 clove of garlic
For the stew:
2 fresh swetcorn cobs
2 tbsp of vegetable oil
8 chicken thighs, skinned
2 carrots, peeled, halved and sliced
1 red pepper, deseeded and cubed
100g white rice
1.2 ltr chicken stock
Zest and juice of 2 limes
Method:
1. Make the herb paste: place the coriander including the stalks in a food processor with the chillies, spring onion and garlic, whizz until the mixture forms a paste then set aside.
2. Heat a large flameproof casserole dish, add the oil and fry the chicken thighs for about 10 minutes, turning until they are browned on all sides. Transfer to a plate, Add the carrots and peppers to the pan and cook for 1 minute, stirring. Add the herb paste, chicken stock and lime zest and juice along with a good pinch of salt and plenty of ground pepper.
3. Return the chicken to the pan and bring to the boil. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. To prepare the sweetcorn, pull back the green leaves and 'silks' to reveal the sweetcorn, grasp the leaves firmly and twist - the leaves should snap off. Use a sharp knife to cut the cobs into 5cm chunks and set aside.
5. Add the sweetcorn pieces and white rice to the pan, then simmer for a further 10 minutes or until the rice is tender. Serve in bowls with wedges of lime or lemon.
This healthy and filling soup is packed full of nutrients thanks to the sweet potato and sweetcorn. It has a warming smoky undertone from the paprika and cumin, whilst the lime juice and sweetcorn add a burst of freshness and flavour.
Serves: 4
Preperation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
250g sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
1 tbsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 litre of vegetable stock
4 fresh sweetcorn cobs
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1 lime
To Serve:
Soured cream, chopped coriander and a few tortilla chips
Method:
1. Heat the oil in a large pan, add the onion and saute for 5 minutes, then ass the potatoes, garlic and chilli and saute for a further 2 minutes. Stir in the paprika, cumin and tomatoes and cook for 30 seconds, stirring.
2. Add the stock, a good pinch of salt and plenty of ground pepper. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
3. Whilst the soup cooks, shuck the sweetcorn cobs: pull back the green leaves and 'silks' to reveal the sweetcorn, twist the leaves and hold firmly to remove them. Now hold the cob vertically on a board and run a sharp knife down the cob so the kernels fall off. Rotate and repeat until the cob is bare. Repeat with other cobs.
4. Add the sweetcorn to the soup with the lime juice. Cover and simmer for a further 7 minutes.
5. Use a stick blender to blend the soup until nice and smooth. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Serve the soup hot in bowls topped with a dollop of soured cream and a handful of chopped coriander. Serve with tortilla chips.
These sweet and sour Sticky Chilli Pops are a great option for Halloween or Bonfire Night parties! The chilli and ginger add a fiery kick of flavour that contrasts beautifully with the sweet and juicy sweetcorn. For added convenience you can prepare the sauce and sweetcorn the day before, ready to griddle on the day of the event.
Serves: 6
Preperation Time: 10 minutes
Cooking Time: 10-15 minutes
Ingredients:
4 sweetcorn cobs
100g caster sugar
2 tbsp white vinegar
1 long red chilli, chopped
2 garlic cloves
15g piece root ginger, peeled and grated
1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
Method:
1. First make the sticky chilli sauce: put the sugar, 50ml of water and the vinegar in a small pan and gently heat until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Bring to the boil and cook for 1-2 minutes until syrupy. Stir in the chilli, garlic and ginger and cook for a further 1 minute. Remove from the heat, stir in the coriander and a pinch of salt and leave to cool.
2. Bring a large pan of lightly salted water to the boil. Pull back the green leaves and 'silks' to reveal the sweetcorn, hold the leaves firmly and twist - the leaves should snap off. Use a sharp knife to cut the cobs into 5cm chunks. Cook the sweetcorn cob pieces n the boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain well and return to the empty pan, add 2 tbsp of the chilli sauce and toss until coated.
3. Heat a griddle pan and when hot add the sweetcorn cobs, cook for 6-8 minutes, turning occasionally until the sweetcorn is lightly charred all over. Transfer to a place, spear with bamboo skewers and serve with chilli dipping sauce in a shallow bowl.