Cape Cod Corn Canoes

8 servings
20 min prep time
1 hr 15 min total time

These clever Cape Cod corn canoes, from New England Open House Cookbook, are fashioned from the corn husks, which house a colorful filling of corn kernels blended with sun-dried tomatoes, dried porcini mushrooms, and creamy mascarpone. 

Ingredients

12 sun-dried tomato halves

2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms

8 ears very fresh local corn, unhusked

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, peeled, minced

1 bunch scallions, trimmed, white and tender green parts minced

6 ounces (3/4 cup) Vermont Creamery Mascarpone

1 1/2 cups freshly shredded Monterey jack cheese

4 tablespoons slivered fresh basil leaves

Sea salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup crushed Ritz crackers or panko bread crumbs

Directions

  • STEP 1

    Place sun-dried tomatoes and dried porcini mushrooms in 2 separate small saucepans. Add water to each pan to cover sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms by a couple of inches. Cook each over medium-high heat just until they come to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Let tomatoes and mushrooms simmer 10 minutes or until nicely plumped. Remove pans from heat; set them aside.

  • STEP 2

    Pull off a strip of corn husk 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide lengthwise from each ear of corn to expose a strip of kernels. Discard these strips of husk. Carefully peel back remaining husks, keeping them attached to stem ends of the cobs. Snap stem ends off cobs, making sure to keep the husks attached at that end. Remove and discard corn silk clinging to the kernels and husks. Tear a thin strip from a tender inner portion of each husk and use it to tie the loose ends of that husk together to make a “canoe” shape. Arrange canoes on large baking sheet.

  • STEP 3

    Cut corn kernels from ears, discarding cobs and setting kernels aside. Drain sun-dried tomatoes and porcini mushrooms, coarsely mince each.  Set them aside.

  • STEP 4

    Heat 3 tablespoons olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook 7 minutes or until softened. Add scallions; cook 3 minutes or until softened. Stir in corn kernels, sun-dried tomatoes, and porcini mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until corn is crisp-tender. Remove skillet from heat.

  • STEP 5

    Stir mascarpone and Monterey Jack into corn mixture, folding gently but thoroughly. Add basil; season filling with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon filling carefully into prepared husks, dividing it equally among them.

  • STEP 6

    Combine cracker crumbs or panko crumbs with remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle mixture lightly over top of each canoe. (The corn canoes may be prepared to this point, loosely covered with plastic food wrap, and refrigerated for up to 12 hours before baking. Bring to room temperature before continuing with recipe.)

  • STEP 7

    Heat oven to 375°F.

  • STEP 8

    Bake corn canoes 25-30 minutes or until husks are slightly charred and filling is piping hot. Serve corn canoes hot.

Sarah Leah Chase

Sarah Leah Chase_Image

Sarah Leah Chase

Sarah Leah Chase, who founded the Massachusetts specialty food shop and catering business Que Sera Sarah, collaborated on The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook. Her other books include Nantucket Open-House Cookbook and Cold-Weather Cooking. Currently she writes a weekly food column for Nantucket’s Inquirer and Mirror newspaper and is recipe consultant to Ina Garten. Sarah and her husband, Nigel, are the owners of Coastal Goods, a retailer of fine seasoning blends. They live with their son on Cape Cod.

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