Creamed corn is one of those items that I always look fondly upon from my childhood. I can really only relate it to the holidays, specifically my family's 'recipe' for corn casserole. Nevertheless, the idea of creamed corn makes me happy; just not from a can. Also, at least for this recipe, there's no cream in sight.
One of this season's cookbook pick-ups helped guide me a bit on this. Jeremy Fox's On Vegetables relies on corn, and only corn, to make creamed corn (and a subsequent vegan polenta which is amazing.) I took the method and applied it here to make an extremely simple dish. Between the starch from the sweet corn and the barley, a risotto-like texture is created. It's comfort food, vegan style.
This recipe is simple which means you can easily vary it based on your flavor preference. I love to add cheese but a thick nut cream is also delicious (and helps give a boost in protein!)
Heavy Cream: creamed corn is often made with heavy cream. If you’re looking for a richer taste, add a splash or two into the creamed corn. You could also use nut creams, if desired.
Pesto: I kept the toppings fairly simple but given the summer flavor, a bit of pesto spooned on top or mix into the barley is delicious.
Grains: The beautiful thing about this recipe is that it works with really any grain. Use sorghum to make it gluten-free while keeping the chewy texture or use a quicker cooking grain like millet.
Cheese: Sharp cheddar is amazing melted into this dish.
July is all about sweet corn for me. It was a staple in my house during the hot summer months and while we traditionally boiled it and served it with a slab of butter, I learned to love this summer treat. Nowadays, it's all about showcasing the sweet flavor in savory dishes. A few of my favorite recipes:
Sweet Corn Pasta with Goat Cheese Sauce
Sun-Dried Tomato and Sweet Corn Risotto
Corn Cakes with Zucchini Salsa
See all the sweet corn recipes >
Wow this looks so amazingly simple and delicious! I can't wait to try it out. Especially love how you can use both corn and corn broth so nothing goes to waste. Does the cookbook you got this from have many other vegan recipes?
Not really but I like it for inspiration!
Hey, Erin.
Thanks so much for this inspiration! As always, your recipes motivate me. I love the idea of mixing fresh corn with grains, so thanks so much for posting. I especially like your vegan recipes!
I subbed red lentils for the barley and cooked them with rosemary sprigs and bay leaves instead of putting them in with the corn and broth. I had veggies I needed to use, so I sautéed chopped fresh tomatoes, mushrooms, sweet peppers, and hot chiles, added the fresh corn and my homemade fennel broth, cooked until the corn was soft as you directed, blended a bit with my immersion blender, and mixed in the mushy lentils just before serving. Rave reviews, so thanks again!
-gloria
I am glad to see that one can use other grains for this recipe, because barley is the one grain neither my husband nor I like. I've got some sorghum I've never used, so this would be a good way to try it.
I want to freeze a bunch of corn and make broth with cobs, but I wouldn't use it for a while. do you think I could freeze the cobs too and make broth later or would that amazing corn flavor be lost? I've been making the broth on repeat for your polenta lately and just drinking the leftover broth like tea, so thank you! I'm sad for all the tossed out corn cobs of my past!
Would this freeze well if I wanted to scale the recipe up? And/or does it keep for a few days? Would love to make some this weekend and enjoy leftovers at work next week!
This was really good. Fixed per recipe and topped with grilled shrimp. Simple but elegant and delishes!