The Institute of Culinary Education has teamed up with GrowNYC for a monthly series highlighting a seasonal ingredient at the greenmarket.
We’re back at the market to enjoy the last bounty of summer's produce, and we tapped Pastry & Baking Arts Chef-Instructor Luisa DeGirolamo to experiment with some of the season's defining ingredients: corn and tomatoes.
Inspired by her Colombian heritage, Chef Luisa decided to make arepas. The arepa dough in her recipe consists of masarepa, a finely ground precooked cornmeal, and a purée made from roasting fresh corn in the husk.
Chef Luisa explains that, in her culture, arepas can be served with any meal but are commonly eaten with breakfast. In comparison to the Venezuelan versions, which are cut and filled, Colombian arepas are sweeter, unfilled and often served simply alongside cheese or salsa.
With tomato season peaking in July and August, Chef Luisa opted to caramelize the fruit as a topping. The slightly-sweet tomatoes have a jammy consistency that pairs well with the crispy arepas. Caramelizing the tomatoes also makes the whole dish easy to eat since the tomatoes aren’t rolling off.
More Greenmarket Produce Recipes: Sweet and Savory Galettes
This dish hits all the notes. Pan frying the arepas results in a crunchy exterior and a soft, sweet interior from the corn purée in the dough. Caramelizing the tomatoes amps up their natural sugars. The arepas are topped with salty queso fresco and a fresh and acidic cilantro lime vinaigrette to seal the deal.
Chef Luisa says she loves taking traditionally savory dishes and re-imagining them with a sweet twist. Get her recipe below.
Sweet Corn Arepas with Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette and Caramelized Tomatoes
Yield: approximately 30 mini arepas
Ingredients
Sweet Corn Arepas:
- 154 grams water
- 21 grams oil
- 4 grams salt
- 145 grams masarepa
- 50 grams corn purée
Corn Purée
- 360 grams corn, about 4 ears (husk on)
- 56 grams butter, softened
- Sea salt
- Pepper
- Lime juice, to taste
Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
- 75 grams cilantro (including stems)
- 100 grams avocado oil
- 35 grams vinegar
- 70 grams lime juice
- 40 grams honey
- Salt and pepper to taste
Caramelized Tomatoes
- 12 cherry tomatoes
- Granulated sugar
Directions
Sweet Corn Arepas:
- Combine water, oil, salt and sugar in a bowl. Add masarepa and mix by hand. Add corn purée and mix. If the dough is too firm, add a little more water or purée.
- Let the dough rest for at least 30 minutes.
- Using a small cookie scoop, scoop all the dough and shape into patties using a little warm water in between your hands.
- In a cast iron pan over low to medium heat, add a little butter and oil and brown arepas on both sides.
Corn Purée
- Roast the corn with the husk on at 400˚F for 35 minutes.
- Remove the husks and cut off the kernels. Blend the kernels with butter, salt, pepper and lime juice.
Cilantro Lime Vinaigrette
- Blend all ingredients together until smooth.
Caramelized Tomatoes
- Quarter the cherry tomatoes, sprinkle with sugar and caramelize on both sides.
To Assemble:
- Top the arepas with queso fresco and caramelized tomatoes and drizzle with cilantro lime vinaigrette.
