Sauteed Summer Corn with Mushrooms and Cilantro

This is one of those recipes where you read the list of ingredients and say "those flavors don't go together!" but then you taste it and it's AMAZING. Like, completely, mind-blowingly amazing. I first had this dish, well, ok, a similar dish, last summer when we ate out at The Slanted Door in San Francisco. I know everyone is always raving about the Slanted Door's shaking beef or whatever, but this dish is the one I couldn't get out of my mind. Fresh sweet white corn. Mushroom. A hint of heat. Butter. AMAZING. If I recall, the original had green onions and chanterelles, but I've been making it with cilantro and crimini mushrooms and loving it.



It's getting to the end of the summer, and I imagine you are starting to get tired of corn on the cob, and you're ready to shake things up a bit. And also, you probably have fresh sweet corn coming out your ears this time of year. This would be a great bring-along dish for a barbecue, or just a great side for a weeknight dinner.




Fresh Sweet White Corn, Sauteed with Crimini Mushroons and Cilantro

Ingredients
- 5 ears sweet white corn, husks removed and kernels cut from cobs
- 1 cup crimini mushrooms, stems removed and cut into a medium dice
- 1/4 cup butter (1/2 a stick) (to make this dairy free, substitute coconut oil or olive oil. Both are healthy and delicious!)
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 bunch chopped cilantro (about 1/2 a cup)
- kosher salt
- cracked black pepper

In a medium heavy bottomed skillet, heat 2 tablespoons butter over high heat. When butter has melted and is just beginning to brown, add 1 cup chopped crimini mushrooms, and saute until softened and browned.

Reduce heat to medium high, and add corn kernals from five ears of corn, as well as the rest of the butter. Add 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper and 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika. Stir to combine. Continue to saute until corn kernals are softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 1/2 cup cilantro. Enjoy!