huitlacoche, tequila and chili spaghetti

Huitlacoche is a fungus of corn; it is a smut. It also goes by the name corn truffle. It’s spores infect corn and turn the little yellow kernels into large, swolled, grey-black, gnarly looking galls. I had heard about it a few times but never seen it in a grocery store, or on a restaurant menu where I live. So I was really excited to see it on a menu when I was on a trip to Mexico in January and I ordered a dish of pasta with corn smut, chilis, tequila and parmesan and it was fantastic.

I came home from the trip determined to try to recreate it. I hunted around online and found some canned huitlacoche on Amazon, but it was a bit expensive to ship. I kind of got distracted and gave up my hunt for a little bit. Then, this past week I went to visit some relatives who grow lots of corn and who actually had loads of huitlacoche. I was really excited, and they thought I was totally nuts. I talked my uncle out of burning it, and took it home with me. I discarded a bit of it that hard gone from cool-gnarly to gross-gnarly on the way home and I had a wee little haul of just over a cup of goofy looking little grey and black mushrooms.

It’s a little odd to think about eating a parasite, actually a disease of another food. Infections, parasites, diseases: these are not ideas typically associated with deliciousness, healthiness, or even just food. I read a great article by the great Carl Zimmer on parasite eating that really puts the oddness of huitlacoche into perspective in the ranks of parasitic snacks. In that context huitlacoche comes out looking fairly tame, at least compared to some of the parasites people around the world are keen to munch. It’s a bit odd looking, a sooty, knobbly little swelling on corn, but it’s very tasty - earthy and mushroomy and savoury.

If you are picking fresh corn smut, look for blue-grey fungus that is tender-firm to a gentle squeeze. Smut that is still green is too young and bitter, and avoid any over-ripe fungus that is powdery inside or starting to go oozy (Appetizing, I know!)

In this recipe, I cooked the smut and the sauce separately, to keep the whole dish from turning grey. You can cook the garlic and smut together if you don’t want to wash an extra pan.

huitlacoche, tequila and chili spaghetti:

• ⅓ cup huitlacoche, fresh, frozen or canned. Chop roughly if pieces are large.
• 1 pound dry long pasta, spaghetti or linguine or whatever you like
• 2 tbs butter
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 2 tsp chili flakes (this will be medium spicy, add chilis to your taste)
• 1 bulb garlic, peeled and smashed
• ½ cup tequila
• ⅔ cup heavy cream
• ½ cup shredded parmesan
• ½ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
• Salt and pepper

In a large frying pan on medium heat, fry garlic and chilis in the butter & oil, reserving a little bit of fat to cook huitlacoche. In a smaller pan, cook huitlacoche in the reserved fat on medium heat.

While you are making the sauce, cook pasta in generously salted water until just tender.

When huitlacoche softens, reduce heat to low. Once garlic begins to colour, add tequila to pan, and swirl to deglaze. Add cream and cook until the sauce thickens slightly. Toss the drained noodles into the sauce and serve topped with corn smut, parsley, parmesan and salt & pepper.

grilled haloumi & pearl couscous salad

It is time for the big summer salad. What you need in your life right now is a big, herby, hearty salad that can sit in the fridge and get better with time. You can cook once and eat this for the better part of a week. It’s worth doubling to really get you set up for the next few days’ meals without having to turn on the stove. Adding some grilled chicken or fish would make a heartier dish, but just this salad is plenty for quick summer dinner.

Halloumi is a delightfully squeaky, salty cheese. It has the fantastic property of not melting when roasted or grilled, so you can pan fry or BBQ it to get a lovely crispy-shattery crust with a very chewy almost meaty-hearty interior. I know it sounds weird, but try it if you haven’t already - it’s fantastic. You can find it often in Greek or Mediterranean specialty groceries, but if you can’t find it, feta will work here too.

halloumi & pearl couscous salad:

Adapted from Bon appetit

• 1 cup walnuts
• 1 cup pearl or Israeli couscous
• 2 cups corn kernels, frozen is fine
• 2 tablespoons plus ¼ cup olive oil
• 8 ounces Halloumi cheese, sliced lengthwise ¾-inch thick
• 2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup basil leaves, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup mint leaves, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Toast walnuts in a dry pan over medium-low heat stirring frequently. When fragrant and golden, remove from heat and roughly chop. Set aside to cool.

In a medium pot of salted water, cook couscous according to package directions, until just tender.

Grill halloumi in a tablespoon of olive oil in a grill pan (or a frying pan) over medium heat. Let the cheese get a good caramelization before flipping, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from heat, cube and set aside.

Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl, taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

chimichurri potato salad

Parsley is highly underrated. If you ever though parsley was boring and only for sad garnishes, chimichurri will change your mind. Parsley sings in chimichurri a bright, acidic, spicy and garlicky sort of salsa verde sauce. Chimichurri is Argentinian, traditionally served as steak sauce. But it's also amazing on chicken, fish, vegetables, sandwiches and pretty much everything. I always make a big batch every time because it tends to find its way into all my meals for a few days. 

I had a bit of a childhood potato salad phobia, because typically potato salad was the intersection of two foods that made me highly nervous: gloopy mayonnaise and wobbly boiled eggs. But potato salad doesn't need to have a thick mayonnaise dressing at all. It can have a light, vinegary, herby dressing instead and chimichurri dressing fits the bill very nicely. It's sunny, springy and ideal for picnics and barbecues. 

chimichurri potato salad:

• 2-3 cups parsley (can substitute up to half cilantro if you wish)
• 1/2 cup olive oil 
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• big pinch chili flakes
• generous black pepper and salt
• 2 pounds small, waxy potatoes 

In a large pot, cover potatoes with cold water and bring to a boil. Cook until potatoes are fork tender and drain off water. 

While potatoes cook, blend all other ingredients in a food processor until a loose paste forms. Toss with hot potatoes and set aside to cool. Serve chilled or room temperature. 

big herb salad

Perhaps you are feeling, as I am, just a little overfed after the holiday season. My personal chocolate:vegetable ratio has been way off for a few weeks and I needed a little correction. This salad is an excellent and delicious way to get an entire day's vegetable servings in one meal. So efficient! Any new year's resolutions you may have about eating mountains of vegetables will be so easy to follow now. 

The abundance of bright, sunny herbs in this salad has been helping to combat my feelings of cold weather grumpiness. It's the opposite of standard winter fare, cozy warm, soups and stews and hearty, heavy dishes. Those are good too, but sometimes I want another kind of comforting winter meal, one that feels light and bright and reminds me that winter cannot actually last forever. It feels really luxurious to use herbs this way, as generously as a vegetable rather than as a sparse topping. 

Adding some roasted salmon or falafel makes it into a very filling meal. You can swap or add herbs; cilantro and basil would be great in this too. 

big herb salad: 

serves two as a main meal, more as a side

• 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
• 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved 
• 1 cup pea shoots
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives, roughly chopped 
• 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 cup fresh mint, chopped
• 1 cup fresh dill, chopped
• a few slices of feta cheese 

Combine all ingredients and dress with yogurt dressing. Salt and pepper to taste. 

spicy yogurt dressing:

• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• juice from one lemon
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 2 tsp dried dill
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1  tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp crushed chile flakes 
• 1 tsp salt 

Blend all ingredients together and drizzle over salad. 

Photos: Tyrel Hiebert