Throughout Europe “corn” has always been the generic name for any of the cereal grains. The Pilgrims called the mahiz grown in the New World “Indian corn,” because it was the chief grain of the American Indians. Europeans still call corn “maize,” a derivative of mahiz; they had never seen what we now call corn until the early settlers brought it back from the Americas.
Today, corn is one of the most popular foods in our country. The two most popular varieties are the yellow Golden Bantam and white Country Gentleman. Yellow corn has a larger, fuller-flavored kernel, and the white kernels tend to be smaller and sweeter. Peak season for fresh corn is May through September. However, excellent frozen and canned corn is available year-round.
This recipe for Southwest corn and chicken soup, which uses salt-free canned corn, is easy to make.
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SOUTHWEST CORN AND CHICKEN SOUP
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Yield: Eight 1-cup servings
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) fat-free, sodium-reduced chicken stock
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) chopped tomatoes, undrained
1 can (11 ounces) salt-free corn kernels, undrained
1 can (12 ounces) evaporated skim milk
1 can (10 ounces) chunk white chicken, undrained, flaked
Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
1. Heat oil in a medium-size saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent. Add flour, chili powder and cumin and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat chicken stock in small saucepan or microwave oven to the boil; pour the boiling stock into the onion mixture and whisk until smooth. Add tomatoes and corn and mix well. Slowly stir in milk and heat to desired temperature. Do not allow to boil. Add chicken and mix well. Garnish with cilantro.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories………..160 Fat………….5 g Cholesterol…….20 mg
Sodium……….390 mg
Q. This recipe for blueberry-lemon custard tart uses a lot of eggs and butter. I would appreciate any help you can give.
Alice Carmichael, San Antonio
A. To drastically cut the fat, I turned the “curd” filling into a custard, but the lemon taste remained intact. I also used a frozen deep-dish pie crust to reduce the fat. Non-fat egg substitute and skim milk provided the right mix for the custard, and less sugar worked fine too. Optional butter sprinkles can help retain the buttery taste without the fat and cholesterol.
HEALTHFUL BLUEBERRY-LEMON CUSTARD TART
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Chilling time: Several hoursYield: 12 servings
1 frozen 9-inch deep-dish pie crust, thawed
1 cup sugar
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4 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon butter-flavored sprinkles, optional
1 cup non-fat egg substitute
2 teaspoons lemon rind
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup skim milk
2 cups fresh blueberries
1/4 cup orange juice
1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Carefully remove thawed pie crust from aluminum tin and place in 10-inch tart pan with removable bottom or 10-inch pie plate. Use fingers to spread crust up sides. Bake until crust is golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes; cool on rack.
2. Combine 2/3 cup of the sugar, 3 tablespoons of the cornstarch, butter sprinkles, egg substitute, lemon rind and lemon juice in a large saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk until smooth. Cook and stir constantly over medium heat until bubbly, then continue cooking until very thick, about 3 more minutes. Remove from heat and cool 20 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times. Spoon into cooled crust; chill several hours.
3. Combine blueberries with remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a medium saucepan. Dissolve remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch in orange juice and stir into blueberries. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and clears, about 5 minutes. Cool completely and spoon over top of filled tart. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories…………180 Fat…………..4 g Cholesterol………0 mg
Sodium………..150 mg
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