Fresh Corn Polenta versus Frozen Corn Polenta

M

marilynfl

Moderator
I'm giving Yotam's recipe a rest after testing this, but thought I'd share the polenta results: The polenta on the left (slightly tinged with red because it was reheated in the eggplant pan without washing it out) was made using a thawed tube of frozen "Fried Corn" by McKenzie. I buzzed it smooth in the Vitamix (thickening it slightly by adding a bit of cooked grits) and then cooked the puree with butter on stove top. Total processing time: less than 5 minutes.

Yesterday I made the fresh version on the right using 4 ears of corn. Cleaned & stripped it off the cob, cooked it on stove top for 12 minutes, strained, buzzed it in food processor, returned to pan and cooked it for another 5 minutes adding approx. half the liquid. Total time to process fresh ears of corn and cook: 20 minutes

Results:

Visually, the fresh version wins hands down.

Time to prepare: the frozen version wins hands down.

Taste-wise, the frozen version was much sweeter and "corn-ier" tasting. Perhaps it's because the fresh corn is so late in the year? Also, the kernel case didn't break down as much in the fresh version so I wasn't totally pleased with the texture in my mouth. The frozen version was a puree, so that aspect wasn't an issue.

Anyway, of the two versions, I'll be using the frozen corn method. I can purchase the frozen tube of corn any time of the year and it's less messy to work with.

https://www.birdseye.com/product/mckenzies-iron-skillet-style-wcracked-pepper-classic-southern-fried-corn-16-oz-chub/

https://recipeswap.org/fun/wp-content/uploads/swap-photos/corn-polenta.jpg

 
Completely new. I've never heard of this product. This summer I made corn chowder for the first time

using fresh off the cob. I was stunned at how much more flavour there was than the frozen.

On the other hand, the Green Giant frozen peas, sweetlets and summer sweet, are, to me, better than fresh from the pod. I suspect it's that they are frozen immediately, whereas by the time I get a pod shelled, the peas are another day older.

We are so fortunate to have such abundance in this part of the world.

 
I freeze corn every year--this is our family's favorite holiday special dish passed down from DH's

mother and called Mama's stewed corn. It is basically "creamed corn" because I when I cut it off the cob I cut about half way through the kernel (not down through the cob which would probably give "whole kernel") and then scrape the ear for the rest of the kernel and the very abundant "juice/cream" from the cob. That is cooked for maybe 5 minutes at a simmer to inactivate the starch enzymes and frozen adding butter. I have also boiled the stripped cobs to get the most lovely corn broth to make soup.
One time I didn't have any and bought the creamed corn in the chub--it was nothing but starch. I haven't ever gotten the whole kernel in a chub--just in the bags or boxes when I needed it for soup.
All commercial frozen corn is not created equal I will add.

 
Thanks, Marilyn. Will be looking for "Fried Corn" by McKenzie

Don't know that I've seen that before. Thanks for the link w/picture. Colleen

 
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