Sweet Corn Bruschetta
When the corn is popping (you know, peak of the season abundance of perfectly sweet ears) I look for as many ways to use it as humanly possible. My Corn and Tomato Pie is a long standing favorite, but corn salads, salsas, soups are all competing for that top spot.
In the spirit of corn experimentation, I tried this Sweet Corn Bruschetta from Midwest Living to bring to a friend’s happy hour. I ended up with more corn than I could scoop onto toasted ciabatta slices which turned out to be a good thing. This bruschetta was on repeat throughout the weekend and I found that the corn mixture only got better with age. The sweetness of the corn (admittedly, amped with a touch of honey and a pinch of sugar) is nicely balanced by the tanginess of the goat cheese and sits surprisingly well on the toasted bread. I altered the original recipe a bit by rubbing each toasted bread slice with a cut clove of garlic, which I think adds the perfect final touch.
This is a great party appetizer, weekend lunch or pre-dinner treat to try before we say goodbye to fresh corn for another year. Enjoy!
Sweet Corn Bruschetta
- 4 ears fresh sweet corn, husks removed
- 1 8-oz baguette-style french bread, cut into 24 1/4- to 1/2-inch slices (I used a baguette-style ciabatta)
- 1/4 cup olive oil (scant cup)
- 1 garlic cove, peeled and cut in half crosswise
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- 3 Tbls balsamic vinegar
- 1 Tbls honey
- 1 Tbls granulated sugar
- 1/4 c fresh basil leaves, cut into wide strips
- Salt and ground black pepper
- Preheat broiler.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. When ready, drop 4 ears of corn into pot and cook for about 5 minutes, rotating the ears halfway through. Remove from water and set corn aside to cool.
- Brush both sides of each bread slice with olive oil, and arrange on a broiler pan.
- Broil bread slices 4- to 5-inches from the heat for 1 to 2 minutes, flip them over, and broil for another 1 to 2 minutes or until golden. Watch carefully as the bread can go from perfectly broiled to burnt in a blink of the eye.
- Remove bread from oven, and rub a cut clove of garlic on one side of each slice. Then spread each slice with goat cheese.
- Using a sharp knife, carefully cut kernels off the ears of corn.
- In a large bowl, combine kernels, honey, sugar, and balsamic vinegar, tossing to coat. Stir in basil, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Using a slotted spoon, top each bruschetta with corn mixture.
- Serve immediately.