Corn
Corn — From the COOKS.COM Culinary Archive.
CORN
Field Corn has many varieties and colors, but white and
yellow are the most common. These are used in many
forms after they are fully ripe and dry.
Hulling. The first step in the preparation is the removal
of the hull. In the "new process" the corn is kiln-dried,
which makes the hull separate easily from the grain. The
hull and germ are loosened by machinery and then removed
by bolting; the remaining part of the grain is then prepared
in several ways, and is known by the following names:
Samp, the whole grains.
Hominy, the broken grains, coarse and fine.
Meal, ground coarse, like sugar, granulated meal,
ground fine, bolted meal,
ground like powder, corn flour.
Corn Starch, the starch separated from the other part of the
grain. Corn starch is sometimes called corn flour, but it is
prepared by a different process, the starch being entirely
separated from the other parts of the grain and it is practically
pure starch.
The flavor of corn starch is disliked by many persons;
probably in some brands of it the separation has not been
complete and some of the other substances were removed
with the starch. It should be thoroughly cooked at high
temperature, and is best when used as a thickening for
sauces, soups, and pudding sauces. When used as a substitute
for eggs in custard and other milk desserts, it
should be cooked thoroughly in the milk before adding the
eggs.
Corn Meal is used as a mush and gruel, in a great variety
of hot cakes and muffins, in combination with rye meal and
Graham flour in brown bread, and in puddings.
Corn has a large amount of starch and but little protein,
but what it lacks in protein it makes up in fat, and when
combined with milk, or cheese, or eggs, as it usually is, it
may well be considered a hearty food. The yellow and the
white corn meal are about equal in nutritive value, but the
flavor of the white is considered the more delicate.
The protein of corn is not like the gluten in wheat, for it
lacks the elastic, tenacious quality and the meal cannot be
made into a bread of the light, dry, porous texture of wheat
bread. But combined with wheat and rye in brown bread,
or with wheat in small cakes and muffins, it is very palatable.
The old process of grinding corn meal is still used in the
South and Rhode Island. The whole grain is ground
between stones and generally sifted only be the user. It
is known as "water ground" or "wind-mill ground."
Owing to the fat in the germ, the moisture in the grain
and the heat of the stones in grinding, the meal soon
becomes musty and should be bought in small quantities.
The flavor is different from that made by the new process.
The latter being drier, needs more water in cooking, and
also more shortening, as the fat was removed in the germ.
Hulled Corn. This primitive method of preparing corn
is still in use and should be better known, for hulled corn
has a flavor quite unlike that of any other and may be used
in a variety of ways.
The process is long, but one may generally buy it all ready
for the table. The corn is steeped in hot water and lye;
when the hulls are loosened and eyes or germs are out, it is
soaked in several waters till the lye is washed out and then
boiled until soft. Enough of the lye remains to give it an
agreeable flavor.
Pop Corn. This is a small variety of field corn with very
hard pointed kernels. When dry and then heated,
the moisture in the starch cells expands, the air in
the grain also expands, and together there is sufficient force
to cause an explosion of the hard cell walls; the kernel
turns completely inside out, enveloping the embryo and
skin with swollen starch.
Pop corn is best when crisp and freshly popped; it is
eaten with salt and butter, or made into corn balls with
syrup. It is generally eaten between meals, and as a tidbit
at evening treats; but it might better have a place as a
part of the regular meal; with cream or milk as a breakfast
food, as a cream soup for luncheon, and the corn balls for
dessert.
SUGAR
Sugar is a valuable food stuff, as it gives heat and energy
in a form pleasing to the taste, and being soluble, it is easily
digested. Only a small portion of plain sugar is needed in
the body, for many foods contain it and starchy foods are
changed into sugar during digestion.
The greater part of the sugar used in cooking is made from
the sugar cane and sugar beet, and we buy it as a block or cube
sugar, granulated, powdered or confectioner's sugar, and
brown sugar. Sugar is used in mixtures such as custards,
cake, pudding, preserves, beverages, and on a large scale in
making candy.
CARAMEL
Melt one cup of sugar (either brown or white) with one
tablespoon of water in a frying-pan. Stir until it becomes
of a dark brown color. Add one cup of boiling water;
simmer ten minutes, and bottle when cool. This should
always be kept on hand, as it is useful for many purposes.
It gives a rich, dark color to soups, coffee, and jelly; is
more wholesome than browned butter in sauces, and is
delicious as a flavoring in custards and pudding sauces.
CARAMEL CUSTARD
Melt one cup of granulated sugar in an iron pan.
Stir to prevent scorching, and when it is well
browned take out about half of it and stir it into one quart
of milk, which should be heating over boiling water. It may
harden in the milk, but that will do no harm as it will
soon melt. To the remainder of the browned sugar add one
half cup of water and let it simmer ten minutes, then set
away to cool. Beat six eggs slightly, stir in one half teaspoon
of salt, one teaspoon of vanilla and a few drops of extract of
almond. Add part of the hot milk and when well mixed
strain it into the remainder. Grease several small tin moulds
or cups with a slight coating of olive oil or strained butter,
fill with the custard and set them into a shallow pan of hot
water. Bake in a moderate oven until the custard is firm;
when a thin knife is inserted to the bottom and comes out
with no trace of milk on it the custard is done. Put away in
a cold place, and when ready to serve turn them out carefully
on to individual dishes; pour some of the caramel over
and put a little whipped cream around the edge.
PANOCHA
Put three cups of dark brown or maple sugar in a clean
saucepan, or the chafing-dish, add one cup rich creamy
milk, and boil till it forms a soft ball when dropped in cold
water. Add one teaspoon vanilla and beat vigorously as
it cools and thickens. Stir in one or two cups of brown
English walnuts or pecans. Turn into buttered pans to cool.
FRUIT AND NUT PASTE
Take equal parts of best raisins, dates and figs and half as
much nuts, or one cup each of the three fruits and one and
one half cups of nuts, measured after preparing. Remove
the seeds from the raisins, the stones and scales from the
dates, the stems from the figs, and the shells from the nuts;
the brown skin also if almonds or peanuts are used. One
variety or a mixture of nuts may be used. The nuts should
be ground through the fine blade of the meat chopper and
then rubbed with a pestle to a paste; the raisins and dates
also should be minced fine, and if you want it especially nice
you may rub the figs through a sieve fine enough to keep
back the seeds. Mix all very thoroughly, then turn it on a
board in a bed of confectioner's sugar, and knead it until
firm enough to roll out. Roll part of it one half inch thick
and cut in half-inch cubes with a sharp knife, and part of it
one fourth inch thick and cut in rounds with the smallest
pattie cutter. Dip the roller and the cutter in the sugar to
prevent the paste from sticking. Roll the cubes and discs
in the sugar until well covered, then put away in a cool place,
with confectioner's paper between the layers. These will
keep some time in air-tight containers.
— – —
The corn is as high as an elephant's eye,
An' it looks like it's climbin' clear up to the sky.
Oscar Hammerstein II — Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin
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