From seafood spaghetti to cheesy croquetas: Ravinder Bhogal’s sweetcorn recipes
Sweetcorn is saturated with nostalgia and the bittersweet taste of summer coming to an end.It has a short season and, when it’s freshly picked, it’s so sweet that you can chomp it right off the cob.I reserve some to eat straight from the grill slathered with butter, then dabbed with a wedge of lime rolled in chilli powder to recreate a favourite Kenyan street food snack from my childhood.I find the combination of hot chilli with naturally sweet corn an irresistible one, so both of today’s recipes have a jolt of something fiery.Green chilli adds essential heat to the sweet prawns and corn – I like to use jalapeños here for their fragrant heat.
Keep the seeds in if you are a heat seeker,Prep 10 min Cook 30 min Serves 43 corn on the cob 1 tbsp salt 400g spaghetti 100ml olive oil 8 garlic cloves, peeled and very finely sliced2 green chillies, such as jalapeño or bird’s eye, finely slicedFinely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon400g raw tiger prawns Black pepperHeat up a griddle or chargrill pan, then grill the corn for about 10 minutes, until charred all over,Slice the kernels off the cobs with a sharp knife and reserve the cobs,Put a large saucepan of water on to boil for the pasta and add a tablespoon of salt and the reserved cobs – they will add flavour to the pasta,Boil the pasta for eight to 10 minutes, or according to the packet instructions, then drain, reserving a little of the cooking water and discarding the cobs.
Meanwhile, pour the olive oil into a frying pan and put it on a low heat.Add the garlic, chilli and lemon zest, and leave to gently infuse for a couple of minutes.Add the prawns, turn up the heat and cook for three to four minutes.Add the drained spaghetti, corn and a splash of pasta water, and toss vigorously.Season with salt and pepper, if required, and serve at once.
Croquetas are basically deep-fried balls of bechamel and my undisputed favourite snack in tapas bars.These ones have a dreamy, creamy, luscious centre that’s rich with sharp cheddar, nuggets of corn and a feisty kick of gochujang.Prep 10 minChill 3 hr Cook 40 min Freeze 1 hr Makes 12For filling75g unsalted butter 100g plain flour 1-2 heaped tbsp gochujang (depending on how spicy you want it)400ml hot milk 150g extra-mature cheddar, grated2 corn on the cobs, or 250g frozen sweetcorn, defrosted5 spring onions, finely chopped, greens and allSea salt and pepperFor coating3 tbsp flour 2 eggs125g panko breadcrumbsGroundnut oil, for deep-fryingIn a medium pan, melt the butter on a medium heat, then add the flour and cook, stirring, for three minutes, until sandy.Whisk in the gochujang, cook for 30 seconds, then gradually whisk in the milk to make a thick white sauce.Bubble for a minute, stirring constantly, then take off the heat and fold in the cheese, sweetcorn and spring onions.
Season with sea salt and pepper, leave to cool to room temperature, then cover and chill for about two hours, until firm,Using wet hands, shape the firm mix into 3cm balls and put on a lined baking sheet,Freeze for an hour,Put the flour for the coating in a shallow bowl, the panko breadcrumbs in a second bowl one, and beat the eggs in a third,Carefully roll each ball in flour, then in beaten egg and then in the breadcrumbs.
Half-fill a pan with oil, then heat to 180C, or until a cube of bread turns golden brown in 20 seconds,Fry the croquetas in batches for two minutes each, until golden brown, then drain on kitchen paper; make sure the oil comes back up to temperature between batches,Serve immediately,This borrows from the comforting, sensory pleasures of pasta cacio e pepe and is assertive with black pepper and pecorino,The toasted corn brings a smokiness and the pickled chillies add heat to an otherwise mellow dish.
Prep 10 minSteep 15 min Cook 1 hr 10 min Serves 2-4For the pickled chillies60ml white-wine vinegar 1 tbsp caster sugar 1 tsp salt50g long red chillies, thinly sliced on the diagonalFor the creamed corn 6 corn cobs 50g butter, plus extra for brushing2 banana shallots, peeled and thinly sliced2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped1 heaped tsp dried oregano Sea salt 1 tsp peppercorns, coarsely ground100g pecorino romano, finely grated, plus extra to serveZest of 1 lemonTo make the pickled chillies, combine the vinegar, sugar, salt and 60ml water in a small pan and bring to a boil.Add the sliced chilli, take off the heat and leave to sit and cool for 15 minutes.Slice the kernels off four of the corn cobs.Heat the butter in a saucepan over a low heat, add the shallots, garlic and oregano, and saute for about 10 minutes, until soft and translucent.Add the shucked corn and 500ml water, and bring to a boil.
Turn down the heat to low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 40 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated.Meanwhile, heat a grill or barbecue to high and grill the remaining two corn cobs, turning them occasionally, until charred all over.Brush with butter and season with sea salt.Once cool enough to handle, slice the kernels off the charred corn in slabs.Put the cooked corn and shallot mix in a food processor, blitz smooth, then stir in the pepper and pecorino.
Spread the puree over four plates or shallow bowls, top with the charred corn, extra pecorino, some lemon zest and the pickled chillies, and serve.
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