"February. . . which hath-but 28 in fine, ’til leap year gives it 29." Oh, what fun! And we get a fulsome round of political speechifying too!
From where I sit, enveloped in a forest of bare deciduous trees, summer seems not only remote, but improbable. The newspapers bear glad news of carpet sales on Presidents’ birthdays and weather forecasts of little cheer to the nonskiing. Yet, somehow — maybe it's the alluring seed catalogs — just anticipating the end of February gives me heart. There WILL be spring, I tell myself as I hunt out forsythia and pussy willows for early forcing.
As the years pass, I wish more and more for perpetual warm September when the East -End is at its lushest and medium sanity has returned to the area. Late summer is when the corn and tomatoes inundate the farmstands and we feel the need to grab them all up before the glorious glut comes to an end. Even the most profligate toy with the idea of canning tomatoes and freezing corn to brighten winter meals.
Few Reminders Left
Although I squirreled away quite a few jars of my favorite gilded tomato Sauce Provencal compounded of many baskets of September Burpee Big Boys and the last fragrant basil, it’s gone. Rummaging around in the freezer, I found som e of last summer’s strawberries and a few packages of corn. Fortunately, whole kernel corn freezes more successfully than most summer produce (raw tomatoes proved to be a watery bomb), and there’s always plenty in supermarket freezers when the home cache gives out. I see excellent scallions to take the place of absent chives and there is usually fresh dill to be had at the Seafood Shop in Wainscott and Schmidt Brothers produce market in Southampton, which also carries a limited assortment of other fresh herbs.
Although it’s always been my credo to try to live by the seasons in the Long Island Larder, there are times when the seasons need a little forcing — like dreary February.
Corn Souffle
Very good frozen whole kernel corn is available commercially when fresh sweet corn is out of season, making this a feasible main dish or side dish all year round. It can be the star of a vegetarian meal or served with a few slivers of ham or some spicy sausages as accent.
3 Tbsp. butter
Cornmeal
1/4 cup minced scallions
1 small hot chile, minced (optional)
1 cup milk, scalded
1/3 cup yellow corn meal
4 “extra-large” eggs
1 cup whole corn kernels, fresh or thawed
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. fresh white pepper
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan OR/hard dry sharp Cheddar
1 Tbsp. melted butter
1 Tbsp. minced fresh dill or parsley
Smear a two-quart souffle dish with one tablespoon of the butter, then coat it with a thin layer of cornmeal shaken around the inside, discarding excess. In the remaining butter, saute the scallions and the minced chile if used. Add milk and, when it is just below the boiling point (i.e. “scalded”), beat in the cornmeal in a thin stream with a wire whisk. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Add Air
Separate the eggs and beat the yolks into the cornmeal with a whisk. Stir in salt, pepper, and corn kernels. Beat egg whites to soft peaks — if you have a few extra egg whites, add them here to make the souffle lighter and higher. Fold one-fourth of the whites into the cornmeal mixture. Turn this into the whites and swiftly fold the two together. Do not over-mix as it will collapse the egg whites; it’s better to leave a few blotches of egg white. Lightly turn this into the prepared souffle dish. Smooth the top gently and sprinkle it with grated cheese. Set an inverted cake pan on the lower rack of the oven and place the souffle dish upon it (this raises it just enough to be situated in the correct part of the lower third of my oven, which is very large — you may not need the cake pan if your lowest rack position is four inches off the oven floor). Bake 25 minutes, remove, and serve at once with melted butter mixed with herbs poured on top.
If you must delay serving, turn out the souffle onto a hot buttered plate and keep it in a warm oven for up to 30 minutes. It will deflate but still looks appetizing if you pour melted butter on it and sprinkle it heavily with herbs. This corn souffle is wonderful with spicy sausages and in summer (if you can conjure it), with barbecued meats.
Corn Pudding With Cheese
Watercress and arugula, while not herbs in the modern sense, were considered so in Medieval times and do indeed serve well in winter when fresh herbs like tarragon and chives are unavailable. (Tarragon dries well, but chives do not.) Or try this dish with some dill or fresh thyme, both available at Schmidt’s even in February's depths. However, corn pudding flavored only with a little onion and ever-available fresh parsley is an excellent portent of better days to come. Serves four to six.
2 cups (approx.) thawed corn kernels
1/4 cup milk
5 “extra-large” eggs, beaten
4 ozs. Monterey jack or mild Cheddar cheese
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 Tbsp. minced watercress or arugula
1 Tbsp. minced parsley
1 Tbsp. grated onion
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
1 tsp. freshly milled pepper (white, preferably)
1/4 cup soft fresh bread crumbs
Puree half the corn with the quarter cup of milk and mix with the eggs. Grate or shred the cheese and mix it with the eggs and the remaining corn. Stir in the heavy cream, watercress or arugula, parsley, onion, salt, and pepper. Pour this into a buttered one-and-one-half quart casserole and top with a thin layer of bread crumbs. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the corn pudding in a pan of hot water set on the middle rack for about one hour or until firm but not dry in the middle. Remove to a warm place and let the pudding settle foi about five minutes before serving. A good dish to serve with broiled codfish or salmon steaks or any fish preparation that has no sauce.
