Forums > Specific Focus > Mexican Kitchen

Caarina12

Jan 25, 2006, 7:49 AM

Post #1 of 7 (1602 views)

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Not Sweet Corn

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I have posted extensively about this matter on another board, but for those of you who are living in the US and want to make Mexican recipes using fresh corn, I have found a good alternative that isn't the hybridized US sweet corn.

It is a imported corn from Peru. The term for elote in Peru is choclo. The only drawback is that the kernels are around the size of pozole corn, but the texture and starchiness are perfect. However, unlike pozole corn, it has never been dried.

I purchased this product at a South American grocery in San Diego that primarily gears to Argentines and Peruvians, but I would think that this product would be available at larger Latin groceries.

Label info:
Amazonas Rainforest Product
Giant Cuzco Corn/Choclo Desgranado/Elote Grano Gigante. Precooked and Frozen.
Imported and Distributed by Amazonas Imports Inc. Phone: 818-982-1377 Fax: 818-982-3898.
Product of Peru

Attachments:

choclo.web.01.jpg (119 KB)

Bubba

Jan 31, 2006, 8:06 AM

Post #2 of 7 (1550 views)

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Re: [Caarina12] Not Sweet Corn

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What am I missing here?

It seems to me that what Caarina is talking about is the ubiquitous product from the Southern U.S. we rednecks call "hominy" which is bleached corn and, as far as I know, is the basic ingredient in pozole. Whether this stuff is dried or frozen seems irrelevant to me but I am no fan of hominy, pozole or hominy grits (known simply as "grits" in the South). A couple of friends just brought us some Carolina Stone Ground Grits which I was instructed to cook with milk, butter and cream so I'm gong to try grits again after a 40 year hiatus.

For those of you unfamiliar with this fact; much produce is imported into Mexico from Peru. Damn fine white asparagus.
Yesterday I had some great artichokes that cost about $1.80US apiece. You boil them babies up with olive oil and a head of garlic and dip them in mayonnaise with chopped onions. These were boughtin San Antonio Tlayacapan, the Lourdes for foodies in Mexico.

If anyone is interested in discussing U.S. style hybridized sweet corn or the best way to buy the starchy traditional corn of Mexico, I have some ideas in that regard.

(This post was edited by Bubba on Feb 1, 2006, 8:13 AM)

Caarina12

Jan 31, 2006, 8:32 AM

Post #3 of 7 (1546 views)

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Re: [Bubba] Not Sweet Corn

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Hey Bubba,

This corn is different than the hominy you can buy almost anywhere because the corn has never been dried or treated with slaked lime. The corn is blanched and flash frozen and you use it like you would fresh corn. In fact, I made esquites soup out of it this weekend, and the taste is just right. Starchy and not sweet at all. Only downside to me for this product is the size of the kernels.

My problem with making Mexican food in the US is that the sweet corn just doesn't work for most Mexican recipes. Too much sugar, no starch. Try making tamales de elote from US sweet corn and you will end up with a sugary mess. You end up making approximations using masa and sweet corn, which is ok, but not ideal.

This is a good alternative for people not in Mexico and can't get the good old fashioned field corn.

I have been on this corn kick for over a year now. I am originally from the Midwest, and I still have extended family in the Midwest who farm. Last year, I had put in an order for field corn from my cousin, but with the drought, their crop was very small. They thought I was nuts asking for field corn, but you should have seen the look on their faces when I asked them for cuitlacoche!

C

BTW, Peruvian food is DELICIOUS.

Bubba

Feb 1, 2006, 10:46 AM

Post #4 of 7 (1504 views)

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Re: [Caarina12] Not Sweet Corn

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Caarina:

You are right on that the hybridized U.S. super sweet corn is no good for Mexican recipes. I really like the hybridized corn but a delight for me is buying the corn off the back of the pickup trucks here at Lake Chapala which has just been harvested a few hours before you buy it. By the time this corn reaches the supermarket it has lost all its sweetness so the pickup corn is great.

This reminds me of my favorite way to eat corn-on-the-cob:

Take some Mexican corn and either steam it or BBQ it and then:

Slather on mayonnaise (in Bubba's case, Best Foods) , ground red pepper, cumin and grated Parmesan or some other cheese.

You should eat this in the street. If you make it at home, walk out into the street to eat it among passers-by. Very important.

(This post was edited by Bubba on Feb 1, 2006, 10:48 AM)

Caarina12

Feb 1, 2006, 3:25 PM

Post #5 of 7 (1487 views)

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Re: [Bubba] Not Sweet Corn

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Ok, now I'm drooling over the keyboard.... I love eating corn that way!

esperanza

Feb 1, 2006, 3:50 PM

Post #6 of 7 (1482 views)

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Re: [Caarina12] Not Sweet Corn

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Yo también. I saw a corn truck here in GDL a couple of days ago...now I wish I'd had time to stop.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Cynthia7

Feb 2, 2006, 8:58 PM

Post #7 of 7 (1444 views)

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Re: [Bubba] Not Sweet Corn

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I hope you droppped a beaten egg, a chunk of cheddar,a dash of hot pepper sauce and a couple of cloves of garlic in those grits. Sure makes them delish!!