Bobby Flay's Bar Americain Cookbook - Bobby Flay [6]
Serves 4
Corn Stock
12 large ears fresh corn, husks and silks removed
1 small Spanish onion, coarsely chopped
1 small stalk celery, coarsely chopped
1 small carrot, coarsely chopped
1 bay leaf
Corn Soup
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
6 cloves roasted garlic
¾ cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon sugar, plus more if needed
¼ cup crème fraîche or sour cream
¼ cup Chive Oil
Crispy Okra
1. Using a sharp knife, slice down each cob to remove the kernels. Scrape the kernels onto a baking sheet and reserve for the soup.
2. Cut each cob in half crosswise and drop them into a large stockpot with the onion, celery, carrot, and bay leaf, and add 2 quarts cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the stock into a medium saucepan, bring to a boil, and cook until reduced to about 5 cups. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
4. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to the corn kernels, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Roast the corn in the oven, stirring a few times, until lightly golden brown, about 20 minutes.
5. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil and the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the roasted garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the wine, bring to a boil, and cook until almost completely evaporated, a couple of minutes. Add the corn kernels and sugar and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the corn stock and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, and let simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes.
6. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the solids to a blender. Add 2 cups of the cooking liquid and blend until smooth. If the soup is too thick, add more of the cooking liquid, ¼ cup at a time. Strain the soup into a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Taste for sweetness; if needed, add up to a few extra teaspoons sugar. Whisk in the crème fraîche and season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. Ladle into bowls, drizzle the chive oil over the soup, and top with some of the crispy okra.
SHELLFISH AND ANDOUILLE GUMBO
CRISPY OKRA
Gumbo—it doesn’t get much more Louisiana style than that. Louisiana is a prototype for the melting pot of cultures that defines this country; this hearty dish alone can count the cuisines of West Africa, France, and Italy among its influences. Both the Creole and Cajun communities have laid claim to this spicy seafood stew, and I’ve appropriated a bit from each in this version: the Creole comes in with the tomatoes—that’s the Italian presence making itself known—and the Cajun of course is present in the spicy pork andouille sausage. Okra is a traditional gumbo component, and it’s usually cooked into the body of the soup. I like the flavor but find that the texture can be a bit slimy. Deep-fried cornmeal-crusted rings of okra solve that problem deliciously.
Serves 6 to 8
½ pound andouille sausage, cut into thin rounds
1 large stalk celery, finely diced
1 large carrot, finely diced
1 large Spanish onion, finely diced
1 red bell pepper, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
½ cup all-purpose flour
4 to 5 cups Shrimp Stock
1 plum tomato, halved, seeded, and chopped
8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tablespoons honey
Few dashes of Tabasco sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons canola oil
12 sea scallops
12 large shrimp, peeled (but tails left on) and deveined
18 oysters, shucked
Crispy Okra
Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish
1. Heat a large sauté pan over high heat. Add the andouille and cook until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels.
2. Add the celery, carrot, onion, and bell pepper