Gnudi with Sweet Corn Esquites
Ingredients
- 454 g Sheep’s Milk Ricotta
- 50 g Queso Fresco
- 15 g Kosher Salt
- 10 g Aji Amarillo Chile Paste
- 1000 g Semolina Flour
- 6 ears Corn, peeled, silk removed
- 1 T Oil
- 1 T Chipotle Butter
- Queso Fresco, crumbled, for garnish
- Cilantro Sprigs, for garnish
- Small Cherry Tomatoes, for garnish
- Dehydrated Corn Powder as needed
PREPARATION
In a large bowl, combine ricotta, 50 grams queso fresco, salt and chili paste. Chill the mixture and shape into small ball-shaped dumplings.
Pour the semolina into a tall-sided container. Add the dumplings and bury in the semolina, and leave to refrigerate for 3 days. After the curing process, the dumplings should be firm.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and season generously. Poach dumplings until they float and cool in an ice bath.
Shave the kernels off 3 ears of corn and run through a juicer. Save the pulp and add to a dehydrator to create a powder from the corn peels.
Add the corn juice to a pot and cook, whisking constantly until thickened, at 180°F. Remove kernels from remaining corn, heat oil and blister the kernels. Pour the blistered corn into the corn juice.
Add chipotle butter, and cook until the corn is tender over low heat. Add the dumplings and cook until heated through.
Serve with some fresh cilantro, cherry tomatoes if in season, a sprinkling of queso fresco and a generous dusting of the corn powder. Makes 5 to 6 portions.
Chef Akhtar Nawab, Alta Calidad, Brooklyn, New York, from Food Fanatics® Magazine