Corn and Cheese Banchan

 

This just shows how unsophisticated I am, but although I love sushi made by chefs who have a passion for making sushi, we also are not above hitting up Genki Sushi for lunch. My favorite at Genki is the corn/mayo sushi. One it is on the yellow plates and I am a cheapskate. Two, I do not like mayo, especially since I no longer have a gall bladder, but the mayo is minimal and I like the combo with rice.

This is another Asian adjacent corn mayo dish that can be used as banchan. We served it with Korean lettuce wraps: grilled, marinated chicken, SSAM sauce, assorted kim chee, hot corn and cheese and some bell peppers. The hot corn and cheese with rice - yum!

Ingredients:

• 1 (15-oz) can corn kernels, drained (you can use frozen, but make sure to thaw and drain it)
• 1/4 c. finely chopped red or green bell pepper
• 3 T. mayonnaise
• 1 tsp. granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/8 tsp. black pepper
• 1 T. butter
• 3/4 - 1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese (can also try a blend of mozzarella and Muenster)
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Heat your broiler. In a medium bowl, combine corn, bell pepper, mayonnaise, sugar, salt and pepper.
2. In an 8" cast-iron skillet, melt the butter over high. Add the corn mixture and sauté just until warmed, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Spread the mixture evenly into a single layer, then cover with cheese. I would stir the parmesan in a little more otherwise I get an even burn on the top.
4. Set the skillet on the rack near the broiler and cook until the cheese is golden in spots, about 3-4 minutes. Watch it carefully. I washed my prep dishes while this was in the oven and I think I let it go a little long for me (thus the picture).

The original recipe is from Darun Kwak who contributes Korean recipes to the NY Times Cooking section. I got us a subscription for Christmas and we are just exploring and cooking our way through 2021 because what this pandemic has taught us is that home cooking is a reminder that we are still here.