Candy Corn Pecan Pie

Special equipment: pie plate, saucepan

Ingredients

serves Makes one 9-inch pie, active time 20 minutes, total time 2 hours, 20 minutes

• 1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust
• 1 1/2 cups (about 5.5 ounces) pecans, lightly toasted
• 1 cup (about 11 ounces) light corn syrup
• 3/4 cup (about 5.6 ounces) dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup candy corn

Procedures

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. If you haven't already, place your pie crust in a pie plate. Set it in the refrigerator until you're ready to fill it.
   
2. If you glazed over the part of the ingredients that asked for the pecans to be toasted, go ahead and toast them while the oven preheats. Scatter them on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Once fragrant, remove them. It shouldn't take more than 8 minutes or so in the preheating oven.
   
3. Prepare the filling. Put the corn syrup and brown sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add the butter, and vanilla. Let the mixture cool, and then add the eggs and whisk until smooth (don't add the eggs while the mixture is still very hot, otherwise you'll have scrambled eggs!).
   
4. Take the pie crust out of the fridge. Now, arrange the pecans (which should be toasty but cooled by now) along the bottom of the crust. Add the candy corn. I lightly tussled the mixture by hand, to make sure it was nicely and evenly mixed.
   
5. Pour the hot sugar slurry on top, gently, so as not to upset your delicately proportioned candy and nuts. Some will rise like magic to the top. That's a good thing.
   
6. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the filling is set and the edges of the crust are browned. It will still wobble in the middle just a little bit when you take it out, but the outer parts should be firm. The center part will set further once removed from heat.
   
7. Place a couple more candy corn on the top of the pie right after you've taken it out of the oven. This will help people to know that it has candy corn inside, as the candies will have melted and might not be recognizable. Be gentle when placing them on top, so you don't hurt yourself or injure the pie.
   
8. Let cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes. I like to then transfer it to the refrigerator for about an hour, so that it can set completely. Serve at room temperature, or lightly warm and serve with ice cream.

Chocolate Covered Candy Corn Layer Cake

A halloween candy staple in cake form.

Butter blasted cake layered with buttery buttercream and enrobed in chocolate ganache. The perfect un-scary Halloween cake.

Notes: Wilton brand makes a butter flavoring. The brand that I used was not Wilton, and because there may be differing strengths between brands, I would add the extract to taste (though the batter does have raw eggs in it). This cake is meant to have a really intense butter flavor. I used Wilton color pastes in Lemon Yellow, Orange, and Terra Cotta.

Special equipment: 3 8-inch cake pans, mixer

Ingredients

serves makes one 8-inch cake, active time 2 hours, total time 3 1/2 hours

• For Cake:
• 7 large egg whites
• 1 1/2 cups milk, divided
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 1/2 cups (18 ounces) cake flour
• 2 1/4 cups (15 3/4 ounces) granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 18 tablespoons (9 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into cubes, softened
• 3 tablespoons butter flavoring (see note)
• 1/2 teaspoon yellow food coloring
• 3/4 teaspoon orange food coloring
• 1/4 teaspoon terra cotta food coloring (see note)
•  
• For Frosting:
• 10 tablespoons (5 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) confectioners' sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon butter flavoring (or to taste)
•  
• For Ganache:
• 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• Candy corn to garnish cake

Procedures

1. For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line 3 8- by 2-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Grease pans.
   
2. Whisk egg whites with 1/2 cup milk and vanilla; set aside. Place flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Add butter and mix on low speed just until moistened. Add remaining 1 cup milk and mix until combined.
   
3. Increase speed to medium-high and mix batter until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce speed to low and mix in reserved egg white mixture until combined. Mix in butter flavoring.
   
4. Divide batter evenly between three bowls. Add yellow food coloring to one of the bowls until it becomes a bright shade of yellow. Add both orange and terra cotta food coloring to another bowl of batter until it becomes a deep shade of orange.
   
5. Scrape batters into the prepared pans and bake until just set and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 23 minutes. Let cakes cool in pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely, about an hour.
   
6. For the frosting: Place butter, confectioners' sugar, milk, and butter flavoring in mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Flavor to taste with butter flavoring.
   
7. To assemble cake: Place yellow layer on an 8-inch plate and spread with about 1/2 cup frosting. Place orange layer on top and spread with about 1/2 cup frosting. Place white layer on top. Use remaining frosting to fill in any gaps along the sides.
   
8. For the ganache: Heat chocolate and cream in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water, gently whisking, until melted and smooth. Let cool briefly, until the consistency is pourable but not runny.
   
9. Place cake (on plate) on a wire rack that's been set in a rimmed baking sheet. Pour ganache over top of cake, letting it run down the sides. Chill until ganache is set, about 20 minutes, Garnish top with candy corn.

Poached Eggs With Corn, Chorizo, Basil, and Brioche Croutons

Ingredients

serves Serves 4

• 4 ounces Spanish-style chorizo, cut into 1/2- to 1/4-inch cubes (see note above)
• 1 slice brioche, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper[
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 ears corn, kernels cut off of ears (about 3 cups kernels)
• 1 medium clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced, greens and whites reserved separately
• 1/2 cup homemade or store-bought low sodium chicken or vegetable stock
• 3 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped basil leaves
• 4 poached eggs (see note above)
• Crunchy sea salt

Procedures

1. Heat chorizo in a medium non-stick skillet over medium heat, tossing and stirring occasionally until crisp and fat has rendered. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon, leaving fat in skillet.
   
2. Add brioche cubes to skillet and increase heat to medium high. Season with salt and pepper and cook, tossing and stirring occasionally, until well toasted on all sides, about 4 minutes. Bread will stick to skillet at first and be difficult to toss or stir, but will loosen up as it absorbs fat and cooks. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
   
3. Add oil to now-empty skillet and heat over high heat until lightly smoking. Add corn and toss to coat with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook, tossing occasionally, until corn is charred in spots, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, all of scallion whites, and half of scallion greens. Cook, stirring constantly, until aromatic, about 30 seconds. Add stock and butter and cook, stirring, until emulsified and saucy, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Return chorizo to skillet and stir to combine. Stir in basil, reserving some small leaves for garnish.
   
4. Divide 3/4 of the corn mixture between four small warm bowls or cups, leaving a small well on one side for the eggs. Add poached eggs to each cup. Spoon remaining corn mixture over and around eggs, making sure that the liquid gets divided evenly. Divide croutons evenly between each cup. Sprinkle with remaining scallion greens and basil leaves. Sprinkle egg with coarse sea salt. Serve immediately.

Parisian Gnocchi With Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Corn, and Zucchini

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time 30 minutes (plus 45 minutes to make gnocchi), total time 30 minutes (plus 45 minutes to make gnocchi)

• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, each tomato split in half
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup fresh corn kernels (from about 1 large ear of corn)
• 1 small zucchini, split in half lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch half moons
• 1 small summer squash, split in half lengthwise and cut into 1/4-inch half moons
• 1 recipe Parisian Gnocchi
• 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives
• 1/4 freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Procedures

1. Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 300°F. Toss cherry tomatoes in a large bowl with 1 tablespoon olive oil and garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and roast until tomatoes are tender and softened, about 20 minutes.
   
2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large non-stick or cast iron skillet over high heat until lightly smoking. Add corn, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook, tossing occasionally, until well-browned, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a large plate and set aside. Wipe out skillet with a paper towel and return to high heat.
   
3. Add 1 tablespoon oil to now-empty skillet and heat until lightly smoking. Add zucchini and squash and cook, tossing occasionally, until well-browned, about 4 minutes total. Transfer to another large plate and set aside. Wipe out skillet with a paper towel.
   
4. When tomatoes have finished roasting, remove from oven and set aside. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in now-empty skillet over high heat until lightly smoking. Add gnocchi and cook, tossing occasionally, until well-browned on all sides, about 6 minutes total. Add corn, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, and herbs to pan and toss to combine. Transfer to a serving platter or individual plates, top with grated Parmesan cheese, and serve.

Easy Skillet Steak Tacos With Charred Corn and Sriracha

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time 25 minutes, total time 25 minutes

• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 pounds skirt steak, trimmed and cut into 4- to 5-inch sections
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 ears of corn, removed from the cob (about 2 cups kernels)
• 1 jalapeño pepper, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1/2 medium red onion, minced (about 1/2 cup)
• 1 medium clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
• 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lime, plus extra lime wedges for serving
• 8 corn tortillas
• 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh mint leaves
• Greek yogurt, for serving
• Sriracha, for serving

Procedures

1. Combine cumin, coriander, chili powder, oregano, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon ground black pepper in a bowl. Rub aggressively into steak so that it is worked into all cracks and crevices.
   
2. Heat half of the oil in a 12-inch heavy bottomed cast iron or stainless steel skillet over high heat until lightly smoking. Add half steak without overlapping or crowding the pan and cook until well browned on first side, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until browned on second side and thickest part of steak registers 130°F on an instant-read thermometer, about 3 minutes longer. Transfer to a large plate to rest. Repeat with the remaining oil and steak and then add to the plate.
   
3. Reduce heat to medium and add the corn. Cook without moving until well-charred, about 3 minutes. Stir, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the skillet and keep cooking until well-charred on several sides, about 6 minutes total. Add the jalapeño, onion, and garlic and cook until softened, about 1 minute longer. Add lime juice and scrape any browned bits off bottom of pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper and reduce heat to low.
   
4. Spread the tortillas out over the mixture, overlapping as needed. Cover and cook until tortillas are softened and warm, about 1 minute. Meanwhile, slice steak thinly against the grain. Place tortillas on serving plates and top with the corn mixture. Top with steak, a dollop of yogurt, and a drizzle of sriracha as desired. Sprinkle with mint and serve immediately with lime wedges.

Corn, Avocado, and Radish Tartine

Ingredients

serves serves 4, active time 20 minutes, total time 20 minutes

• 4 slices of hearty bread, such as French pain au levain or sourdough
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 medium clove garlic split in half, and 1 medium clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups shucked corn kernels from about 2 ears corn
• 1/4 cup homemade or store-bought mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons juice from 1 lime
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 avocado
• 4 radishes, thinly sliced

Procedures

1. Preheat broiler to high and adjust rack to 6 inches below element. Brush bread slices on all sides with 2 tablespoons olive oil and rub with split garlic clove on all surfaces. Season with salt and pepper. Place on a rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan and broil until golden brown and toasted on first side, about 3 minutes. Flip and broil until second side is toasted, about 2 minutes longer.
   
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium cast iron or non-stick skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add corn and cook without moving until well charred on first side, about 4 minutes. Flip and toss and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until well toasted on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Season to taste with salt and pepper and transfer to a medium bowl.
   
3. Add minced garlic, mayonnaise, remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, and lime juice. Add cilantro and scallions, reserving some for garnish. Toss corn to combine and season with more salt and pepper as desired.
   
4. Mash avocado with the back of a fork in a medium bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread bread with mashed avocado, top with corn and radishes, sprinkle with remaining cilantro and scallions, and serve.

Charred Corn and Cherry Tomato Salad with Zucchini and Radishes

Special equipment

Wok or cast iron skillet

Ingredients

serves Serves 4 to 6, active time 20 minutes, total time 30 minutes

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 cup zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch dice (about 1 medium)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups sweet corn kernels (cut from about 4 full ears)
• 12 small radishes, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallion greens and whites (about 4 whole scallions)
• 1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, minced (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1/4 cup Mexican style crema or sour cream
• 1/2 cup coarsely crumbled or grated cotija cheese, plus more to garnish
• 3 tablespoons juice from about 3 limes

Procedures

1. Heat half of oil in a large wok or cast iron skillet over high heat until smoking. Add zucchini in a single layer and cook without moving until well browned on first side, about 1 minute. Toss and continue to cook until browned all over but still firm, about 3 minutes total. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a large bowl.
   
2. Heat remaining oil in the same pan over high heat until smoking. Add corn and cook without moving until well charred on first side, about 2 minutes. Scrape up charred corn from bottom of pan with a stiff spatula, toss, and char again. Repeat until corn is well charred on multiple surfaces, about 10 minutes total. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add to bowl with zucchini. Toss to combine. Allow to cool slightly, about 10 minutes.
   
3. Add radishes, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, serrano, crema, cotija, and lime juice, and toss to combine. Adjust seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, sprinkled with extra cotija.

Crispy Fish with Charred Corn and Sun Gold Salsa

Ingredients

serves serves 4, active time 20 minutes, total time 45 minutes

• 4 boneless white-fleshed fish fillets, 6 to 8 ounces each (such as whitefish or tilapia)
• 3 tablespoons fresh juice from about 3 limes, plus more to taste
• Kosher salt
• 4 1/2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
• 3 cups fresh corn kernels, from about 4 ears corn
• 3 cups Sun Gold tomatoes, quartered
• 1 to 2 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
• 1/2 large white onion, chopped (about 3/4 cup)
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
• Handful fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 cup flour
• 3 tablespoons butter

Procedures

1. Place fish fillets on a rimmed baking sheet and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of lime juice and a couple pinches of salt. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.
   
2. Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons of canola oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add corn kernels, toss well with a wooden spoon, and then spread evenly out. Cook until starting to char on the bottom, about 2 minutes. Stir well, and cook until corn starts to char again, another 2 minutes. Continue process until corn is evenly charred on all sides but not burnt, 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer corn to a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, jalapeños, onion, garlic, cilantro, and remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice. Season with salt to taste. Add additional lime juice as necessary. Set aside.
   
3. Dry fish fillets on paper towels. Use a fork to mix together flour and a 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt in a large baking dish. Wipe out skillet and return to medium heat. Add butter and heat until melted. Dredge two fish fillets in the flour, shake off the excess, and then carefully place them in the skillet skin-side down. Cook until golden brown on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and brown on the other side, another 3 to 4 minutes. When both sides are browned and fish is cooked through, drain the fillets on a paper towel-lined plate and keep warm. Repeat process with the remaining 2 fillets.
   
4. Serve the fried fish with the corn salsa.

Peanut Chicken and Chinese Egg Noodles with Baby Bok Choy and Baby Corn

 

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time 20 minutes, total time 1 hour

• 2 tablespoons coconut or olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 3 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 20 ounces)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup homemade or store-bought low sodium chicken stock
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
• 4 heads baby bok choy, halved lengthwise
• 1/2 cup fresh or canned baby corn
• 1 tablespoon juice from 1 lime
• 1 pound fresh or dried Chinese egg noodles, cooked
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, torn

Procedures

1. Heat the oil in a deep-sided sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic and ginger and cook, stirring, until the mixture begins to soften and the onions are almost translucent, 5 to 8 minutes. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, add to pan and continue to cook until mostly opaque, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the chicken broth, coconut milk, soy sauce, vinegar, and peanut butter. Season with salt and pepper and stir thoroughly to combine. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
   
2. Add bok choy and baby corn and continue to cook until vegetables are tender, another 5 to 7 minutes. Add lime, season to taste with more salt and pepper, stir, and serve atop egg noodles, garnished with basil.