Creamed Corn with Shallots

Forget canned or frozen creamed corn. Once you try this version, made with fresh corn, shallots, butter, and cream, you’ll never go back. Remove as much of the flavorful corn “milk” from the cob as possible for the best flavor.

• 
  
  5 ears fresh corn
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. unsalted butter
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup minced shallots
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup heavy cream
  
  


• 
  
  Kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
  
  


• 
  
  Freshly ground black pepper
  
  

Slice the kernels from the corn to yield 3 cups (don’t cut too deeply; you want only the tender tips of the kernels). Put the kernels in a medium bowl and reserve the cobs. Working with one cob at a time, stand it on its end in the bowl and scrape the back of the knife down the sides to release the corn “milk.”

Melt the butter in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, 1 minute. Add the corn, cream, and 1/2 tsp. salt and simmer gently, stirring often, until the cream has thickened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the nutmeg, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

Grilled Steak and Peppered Spaetzle with Black Trumpet Mushrooms and Shallot Marmalade

This modern update on homey beef Stroganoff elevates it to a restaurant-worthy steak dinner: grilled flatiron steak on a bed of spaetzle with caramelized shallots and earthy, fragrant black trumpet mushrooms, topped with a drizzle of crème fraîche

For the shallot marmalade:

• 
  
  1 Tbs. unsalted butter
  
  


• 
  
  8 oz. shallots, sliced 1/8 inch thick (1-1/2 cups)
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup sherry vinegar
  
  

For the spaetzle:

• 
  
  1 cup sour cream
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup whole milk
  
  


• 
  
  2 large eggs
  
  


• 
  
  4 tsp. kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. freshly cracked black peppercorns
  
  


• 
  
  9 oz. (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
  
  

For the mushrooms:

• 
  
  3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  
  


• 
  
  5-1/4 oz. black trumpet mushrooms, washed and thickly sliced (3 cups)
  
  


• 
  
  3 Tbs. finely chopped shallots
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. finely chopped garlic
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. sherry vinegar; more to taste
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 tsp. white truffle oil (optional)
  
  


• 
  
  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
  


• 
  
  2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  
  

For the cooking the steaks and serving:

• 
  
  4 6-oz. beef flatiron steaks
  
  


• 
  
  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream, whisked to to loosen
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. unsalted butter
  
  


• 
  
  Dill sprigs, for garnish
  
  

Make the shallot marmalade:

Melt the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the sugar and vinegar, reduce the heat to medium low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 15 minutes.

Make the spaetzle:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Have ready a large bowl of ice water.

Purée the sour cream, milk, eggs, salt, and cracked pepper in a blender until smooth. Pour the mixture into large bowl and fold in the flour.

To cook the spaetzle, place a spaetzle maker over the boiling water. Push the dough through the holes, letting it fall into the water below. (If you don’t have a spaetzle maker, use a rubber spatula to push the dough through the holes of a colander set over the pot of water.) The dough will form small dumplings as it drops into the water. Allow the spaetzle to rise to the surface and float for about 30 seconds before transferring it to the ice water with a slotted spoon. Let cool completely, about 5 minutes. Drain well, transfer to a large bowl, toss with the oil, and reserve.

Cook the mushrooms:

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until very hot. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until softened, 5 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic, and thyme. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the sherry vinegar and continue to cook until the pan is almost dry, about 1 minute.

Take the pan off the heat and drizzle in the truffle oil (if using). Season to taste with salt and pepper, and a touch of vinegar, if necessary. Keep warm.

Grill the steaks and serve:

Season the steak generously with salt and pepper. Heat a grill pan (or a large cast-iron skillet) over medium-high heat until very hot. Working in batches if necessary, grill the beef until medium rare (130°F to 135°F on an instant-read thermometer), 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the crème fraîche and 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the
shallot marmalade and cook until heated through and thinned, about 2
minutes. Add the spaetzle and the mushrooms; cook, stirring, until
heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.

Thinly slice the steak across the grain. Serve the steak over the
spaetzle, drizzled with the crème fraîche and garnished with the dill
sprigs.

Roasted Carrots & Shallots with Oil-Cured Olives & Gremolata

The sweet earthiness of the carrots pairs perfectly with the briny flavor of the olives and the vibrant gremolata of garlic, lemon zest, and parsley.

• 
  
  1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  
  


• 
  
  Zest of 1 medium lemon, finely chopped (1-1/2 to 2 Tbs.)
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. minced garlic
  
  


• 
  
  2 lb. medium carrots
  
  


• 
  
  1 cup 1/4-inch-thick-sliced shallot rounds (3 or 4 medium shallots)
  
  


• 
  
  1 Tbs. fresh thyme leaves
  
  


• 
  
  1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  Freshly ground black pepper
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup pitted and thinly sliced oil-cured olives
  
  

Tip:

To prep the lemon zest for the gremolata, peel it off in long strips with a vegetable peeler, cut away any of the white pith, and chop the zest finely.

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 425ºF.

Toss the parsley, lemon zest, and garlic in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside (this is the gremolata).

Peel the carrots and slice in half lengthwise. If they’re big, slice each half lengthwise again into long quarters. Put the carrots on a large rimmed baking sheet and toss with the shallots, thyme, olive oil, salt, and several grinds of pepper. Arrange the carrots in a single layer.

Roast the carrots, tossing occasionally, until they are tender and ever so slightly browned, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and toss in the olives and the gremolata. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Grilled Steak and Peppered Spaetzle with Black Trumpet Mushrooms and Shallot Marmalade

This modern update on homey beef Stroganoff elevates it to a restaurant-worthy steak dinner: grilled flatiron steak on a bed of spaetzle with caramelized shallots and earthy, fragrant black trumpet mushrooms, topped with a drizzle of crème fraîche

For the shallot marmalade:

• 
  
  1 Tbs. unsalted butter
  
  


• 
  
  8 oz. shallots, sliced 1/8 inch thick (1-1/2 cups)
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup granulated sugar
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup sherry vinegar
  
  

For the spaetzle:

• 
  
  1 cup sour cream
  
  


• 
  
  1/4 cup whole milk
  
  


• 
  
  2 large eggs
  
  


• 
  
  4 tsp. kosher salt
  
  


• 
  
  1 tsp. freshly cracked black peppercorns
  
  


• 
  
  9 oz. (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
  
  

For the mushrooms:

• 
  
  3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
  
  


• 
  
  5-1/4 oz. black trumpet mushrooms, washed and thickly sliced (3 cups)
  
  


• 
  
  3 Tbs. finely chopped shallots
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. finely chopped garlic
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. sherry vinegar; more to taste
  
  


• 
  
  1-1/2 tsp. white truffle oil (optional)
  
  


• 
  
  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
  


• 
  
  2 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
  
  

For the cooking the steaks and serving:

• 
  
  4 6-oz. beef flatiron steaks
  
  


• 
  
  Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  
  


• 
  
  1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream, whisked to to loosen
  
  


• 
  
  2 Tbs. unsalted butter
  
  


• 
  
  Dill sprigs, for garnish
  
  

Make the shallot marmalade:

Melt the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the sugar and vinegar, reduce the heat to medium low, and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 15 minutes.

Make the spaetzle:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Have ready a large bowl of ice water.

Purée the sour cream, milk, eggs, salt, and cracked pepper in a blender until smooth. Pour the mixture into large bowl and fold in the flour.

To cook the spaetzle, place a spaetzle maker over the boiling water. Push the dough through the holes, letting it fall into the water below. (If you don’t have a spaetzle maker, use a rubber spatula to push the dough through the holes of a colander set over the pot of water.) The dough will form small dumplings as it drops into the water. Allow the spaetzle to rise to the surface and float for about 30 seconds before transferring it to the ice water with a slotted spoon. Let cool completely, about 5 minutes. Drain well, transfer to a large bowl, toss with the oil, and reserve.

Cook the mushrooms:

Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until very hot. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until softened, 5 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic, and thyme. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in the sherry vinegar and continue to cook until the pan is almost dry, about 1 minute.

Take the pan off the heat and drizzle in the truffle oil (if using). Season to taste with salt and pepper, and a touch of vinegar, if necessary. Keep warm.

Grill the steaks and serve:

Season the steak generously with salt and pepper. Heat a grill pan (or a large cast-iron skillet) over medium-high heat until very hot. Working in batches if necessary, grill the beef until medium rare (130°F to 135°F on an instant-read thermometer), 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the crème fraîche and 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper.

Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the
shallot marmalade and cook until heated through and thinned, about 2
minutes. Add the spaetzle and the mushrooms; cook, stirring, until
heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.

Thinly slice the steak across the grain. Serve the steak over the
spaetzle, drizzled with the crème fraîche and garnished with the dill
sprigs.