Today's Recipe: Mini Corn and Leek Flautas
Shopping Tip:
If buying corn at the farmers market, avoid corn that's displayed in direct sunlight, since the heat will cause the sugar to convert to starch faster.

Cooking Tip:
To remove the silk from corn, run a damp paper towel over the kernels.

View Recipe:
Mini Corn and Leek Flautas

Posted by Big Girls Small Kitchen, Special Contributor
  Credit: Big Girls Small Kitchen These cheesy flautas are a fun and easy appetizer to make, and are completely meat-free for vegetarians. If you're planning ahead, you can make these a day or two in advance, then re-crisp them in the oven before serving. — Allison Beck

Click here to see A Vegetarian Super Bowl Party.

INGREDIENTS
For the leek confit:

• 2 large leeks, white part and light green part only, cut in half and finely sliced
• 2 tablespoons butter
• ¼ cup of water or chicken stock
• ½ teaspoon salt

For the flautas:

• 16 large flour tortillas
• ½ pound smoked Cheddar cheese (or sharp white Cheddar), shredded
• ½ pound Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• 1 cup leek confit (recipe above)
• One 15-ounce can corn, rinsed (If in season, use 5 ears of fresh corn, kernels removed)
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon salt
• A dash of cayenne
• Cilantro-lime crema, for dipping (recipe below)

For the crema:

• ½ lime, juiced
• 4 ounces sour cream
• 1 garlic clove, minced or pressed
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chives, chopped, optional

DIRECTIONS
For the confit:

On the stove, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat in a lidded sauté pan or Dutch oven. Add the leeks and sauté for 3-5 minutes, or until translucent. Add the water or stock, turn the flame down to low, cover and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the leeks are completely soft and beginning to turn to mush. Take the lid off and cook uncovered until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5 more minutes.

For the flautas:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut each tortilla into 5 smaller rounds.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the cheeses, leek confit, corn, cumin, salt, and cayenne and toss to combine. On a clean work surface, brush each round with a little bit of water. Place 1 tablespoon of filling in the center of each round, and roll together so the edges overlap (they should look like mini tacos, and the water will help the edges bind). Place the flautas seam side-down on a cookie sheet lined with parchment, about 20 per sheet.

Bake the flautas in the oven for 10 minutes, until the tortilla is nicely browned, and the cheese is bubbling. Allow the flautas to rest on the cookie sheets until cool enough to touch. Arrange on a platter and serve immediately with some sour cream or cilantro-lime crema for dipping.

For the cream:

While the flautas cool, combine all ingredients for the crema in a food processor and blend until fully incorporated.

Recipe Details:
Makes 80 flautas

Note: You can bake the flautas in advance, and then reheat them in a 400 degree oven until they re-crisp.


Read more: http://www.thedailymeal.com/mini-corn-and-leek-flautas#ixzz25APrNR9s


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Shopping Tip:
When buying ears of corn, avoid ears with brown bottoms, a sign that they are several days old.

Cooking Tip:
Keeping the husks on and soaking the ears in cold water prior to grilling will help keep the corn moist.

Sweet corn and summer are so intertwined it almost seems like they're one word. Often, by the time summer's over you've had more corn on the cob than you care to remember. One way to spice it up is to make a soup and add some condiments that give flavor, texture, and nuance. This recipe calls for raw vegetables that add texture, and crab, which helps make it a filling meal. Jalapeño gives a nice kick, but poblano works too.

Click here to see Spectacular Summer Corn Recipes.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 ears corn, roasted
• 2 jalapeños, roasted
• Olive oil
• ¼ stick butter
• 1 large white onion, diced
• 1 quart chicken stock
• ½ cup milk
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground cumin
• 2-3 tablespoons lime juice
• Salt
• Pepper
• 2 containers plain yogurt
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 ripe avocado, cubed
• 2 cups lump crab meat
• Cilantro, chiffonade

DIRECTIONS:
Without removing the cornhusks (just peel them back), pull out the corn silks. Replace the husks and soak the corn in cold water (this will help moisten the corn when you grill them later). Get your grill going. Meanwhile, warm oil and butter in a large pot and sauté onions — when translucent add stock and simmer.

Over high heat, grill the corn and jalapeño, turning as needed. The corn will take about 10-15 minutes. When the jalapeño is black on all sides it's done — put it in a bowl and cover so that the skin steams it and loosens. When it's cool pull off the skin.

When the corn is cooked and cool cut off the kernels. Put any blackened corn on the side. Reserve corn from 2 ears and pulse the rest with the blackened corn in a food processor or blender with roasted jalapeño, milk, and a cup of the simmering stock and onions. Blend until smooth then add back to the pot. Add reserved corn, cumin, lime juice, salt, and pepper and simmer for a few minutes.

To serve, garnish with a quenelle of yogurt in the center, with the diced peppers and avocado around it. To finish, distribute the crab around the bowl and finish with chiffonade cilantro. (This soup can also be served cold.)

Recipe Details:
Serves 6

Total time: About an hour


Read more: http://www.thedailymeal.com/roasted-corn-and-jalape-o-soup-crab#ixzz22v2EPAuG

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This is the first time I've heard of this, great idea!  Especially if you're catering to a large crowd!
THANKS DIANE 4 DONATING THIS STORY/IDEA!!!
 

The Best Way to Cook Corn on the Cob for a Crowd?

It's Cooler Corn!




Am I the only person who hasn't heard of "cooler corn"?

As an obsessive food nerd, you'd expect that I would have at least heard of it, but over the weekend I was blind-sided by the simple genius of this method for cooking loads of corn on the cob perfectly.

I was hepped to it while visiting my family in Maine. Short story: We like corn on the cob. And with eight adults at the table, that means a couple of dozen ears. We would have used the lobster pot to cook them all, but the lobster pot was busy steaming lobster.

Then my sister, a capable Maine cook with years of camping experience, says "let's do cooler corn!" Before I can ask "what the hell is cooler corn?" a Coleman cooler appears from the garage, is wiped clean, then filled with the shucked ears. Next, two kettles-full of boiling water are poured over the corn and the top closed.

Then nothing.

When we sat down to dinner 30 minutes later and opened it, the corn was perfectly cooked. My mind was blown. And I'm told that the corn will remain at the perfect level of doneness for a couple of hours.

Turns out, Cooler Corn is pretty well known among the outdoorsy set but for those of us who avoid tents as much as possible, it's perfect for large barbecues and way less of mess than grilling. In fact, I may even buy another cooler just so I'm ready for next summer. Now that I'm in the know.