2 tb Water
2 ts Chinese mustard powder
6 tb Unsalted butter
2 tb Doenjang
1 lg Yellow onion; finely
- chopped
6 Fresh corn ears; shucked,
- kernels removed
1/2 ts Kosher salt
6 oz Low-moisture mozzarella;
- shredded
2 Scallions; thinly sliced
Coarse sea salt, such as
- Maldon or fleur de sel
A sizzling skillet of sweet corn and gooey melted cheese.
Doenjang is a Korean fermented bean paste made entirely of soybean
and brine similar to Northern Chinese yellow soybean paste and
Japanese Miso. The savory funk of doenjang and sharp bite of hot
mustard balance the sweetness of corn and richness of melted
mozzarella. Corn cheese is a near perfect example of anju, the genre
of Korean food that's meant to be served along with alcohol. It's a
fondue-like concoction of canned corn topped with bubbly, molten
cheese, a sweet-savory-cheesy combination.
Since it's a relatively recent addition to the Korean diet, as the
two main ingredients were introduced as rations distributed by
American forced during and after the Korean War, there really aren't
really any rules for how to prepare it, but most versions of this
hot side dish are made with canned corn, and they tend to be quite
sweet. For my recipe for corn cheese, I wanted to make it more
savory, balancing the sweetness of the fresh, in-season sweet corn
with butter, salt, some savory funk from doenjang, and a little bit
of heat from Chinese mustard, which serves to emphasize the corn and
cheese flavors. And while I love fresh summer corn, I wanted to stay
true to the origins of the dish, so I developed the recipe so it
would work with frozen corn and drained, unsalted canned corn as
well; all you have to to do is add 2 teaspoons of granulated sugar
to the frozen or canned corn while sauteing it to mimic fresh corn's
sweetness.
Putting the dish together is pretty simple: I start off by cooking
the doenjang, butter, and some finely chopped onion together until
the onion is tender and the doenjang is caramelized, after which I
fold in the fresh corn kernels, heating them just until they're
tender. From there, it's just a matter of topping the corn with
cheese and sliding it under the broiler and then drizzling hot
mustard over the bubbly, golden brown top.
If there is a rule for corn cheese, it's that it has to be served
hot, you want the cheese to be gooey and stretchable, so it's best to
prepare everything up to the broiling step ahead of time. That way,
when everyone has a cold drink in their hand and the other dishes
hit the table, a hot plate of galbi or dwaeji bulgogi for
example, this simple showstopper of a summer side dish can arrive,
piping hot beneath its burnished and bubbly top.
Adjust oven rack to 6 inches below broiler element and preheat
broiler on high. In a small bowl, stir together water and mustard
powder to form a smooth, loose sauce that lightly coats the back of
a spoon. Set aside.
Stirring together mustard sauce: In a 12-inch cast iron skillet,
melt butter over medium heat. Add doenjang and onion and cook,
stirring occasionally, until onion is softened and translucent, 5 to
6 minutes.
Cooking onion and doenjang in butter: Add corn and salt and cook,
stirring occasionally, until corn is tender and liquid released from
onion and corn has mostly evaporated, 6 to 8 minute
Cooking corn: Sprinkle shredded mozzarella evenly over corn.
Transfer skillet to oven, and broil until cheese is fully melted and
lightly browned in spots, about 2 minutes. Transfer skillet to a
heatproof surface. Drizzle mustard sauce over top, sprinkle with
scallions and sea salt (if using), and serve immediately.
Notes:
This recipe works equally well with fresh, frozen, and canned corn.
Fresh, in-season corn is sweeter than frozen or canned, so add a
touch of sugar if you use frozen or canned corn. If making with
frozen corn, use 28 oz corn kernels, combined with 2 ts sugar. If
using canned corn, use three 15-1/4 oz cans of corn, drained,
combined with 2 ts sugar.
