Sweet Corn – Grana Padano Ravioli With Basil Brown Butter and Warm Cherry Tomato Compote PLUS ANOTHER GIVEAWAY and the Winner of the Coconut OIl and Cookbook Giveaway

July 15, 2011 at 3:45 pm | Posted in Daring Cooks, Dinner, Giveaway, Pasta, Vegetables, Vegetarian | 222 Comments
Tags: Basil, Brown Butter, Cherry Tomato Compote, Cherry Tomatoes, Corn, Corn Ravioli, Cream, Daring Cooks, Grana Padano, Grana Padano Riserva, Homemade Pasta, pasta, Ravioli, Thyme

Before I get to this yummy ravioli, a little introspective rambling is in order.  For all those waiting for the announcement of the winner of my 4th of July giveaway, so sorry I’m a day late.  My plate has been full, both figuratively and literally.  You can scroll down to find out now, or you can read a bit of my incessant babbling to increase the suspense…OR, you can just drool over this ravioli, because I think this is the most delicious non-traditional ravioli I have ever made and tasted in my life – IF you like corn, that is. You can also immediately scroll down to see my latest giveaway.  I’ll give you a hint to part of it, in case you actually want to read what I wrote first.  In the photo directly below, it’s on the your lower right.

A few months ago, I left a comment on a post about the BlogHer 2011 conference in Atlanta that dealt with blog cliques and the cutthroat race to get some form of recognition or fame via their blogs.  My comment was basically about blogging for myself and my readers, and how I wouldn’t make friends with well-known and/or popular bloggers just to catapult my blog (My friendships with people are based on who they are, not how many people like them, or what they can offer), nor would I ever succumb to what is considered ‘marketable’ in the world of food blogging if it’s not what I’m about or not something I like.  I have a passion for food, and this blog is my way of conveying it.  However, I said one thing that came off the wrong way, and it’s been bothering me on and off for a while now.

I said, to quote myself, “I don’t care if my photos suck or aren’t Bon Appetit worthy (although I do bitch about not having natural light)….”

I DO care if my photos suck, but from an artistic stance, not as a way to draw attention to my blog from companies/sponsors, or as way to get more prestigious and popular bloggers to take notice and like me.  My blog is my cozy little nook in this world, my cozy little nook of escape, and I want pretty, mouth-watering photos, the same way I want pretty decor in my apartment.  I love taking photos of my food, even though I don’t get the photos I desperately covet since I don’t have enough natural light to take them in.

Natural light is the number one key to beautiful food photography, and it’s FREE!  BUT, I think nature wants to charge me.

I also said…”I don’t care if my writing is all over the place” Translation: I write like I talk, and everyone who knows me always points that out.  This is ME, and I won’t change a thing, even if I don’t use enough ‘active verbs’, or adopt ‘How to Write to Draw Attention to your Blog 101’ as THE WORD.  Regardless, you should really read this post by Linda at Salty Seattle.  It’s  eye-opening, extremely thought-provoking, and well..she bares all the little bones, and I like that.  OH,  and she’s so damn creative – you must see the amazing delicacies she creates thinking outside the box.  Molecular Gastronomy and then some!

Now that I got that out-of-the-way, I think it’s time to deal with pasta!  Homemade pasta, everything from scratch, nothing boxed, nothing frozen, just beautiful, silky handmade pasta, kneaded, rolled and cut by you, not some factory in Okawosha, NY (Yes, a fictional city).

Steph from Stephfood was our Daring Cooks’ July hostess.  Steph challenged us to make homemade noodles without the help of a motorized pasta machine.  She provided us with recipes for Spätzle and Fresh Egg Pasta as well as a few delicious sauces to pair our noodles with!

My first thought was spaetzle because I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE spaetzle, and it’s so simple – no rolling, no cutting, just a batter like dough that you press through a potato ricer into salted, boiling water, producing light little dumplings of heaven.  Yes, there are spaetzle makers, but I don’t believe in owning something that just has one use, unless you make it A LOT..like once a week A LOT.

I changed my mind at the last-minute.  1) Because when I make spaetzle, I think paprikash, and although I don’t abide by any rules that dictate what types of foods should be made and eaten each season, I felt it was a bit heavy of a dish at this time, and I am in no mood for a gut bomb after almost eating my weight in baklava last month, and 2) How could I not take advantage of the summer bounty of sweet corn, tomatoes and basil?  Not to mention, I was sent a HUGE hunka hunk of Grana Padano Riserva cheese, but that’s part of the giveaway, and I’ll get to that later.

I decided a corn filled ravioli would be an ideal way to use sweet summer corn, and when combined with the slightly salty, but mellow, Grana Padano, it was a winner.  Since the ravioli has so much flavor, all that was needed  to compliment it was a light brown butter sauce (beurre noisette).  For color, and a tart and juicy, sweet contrast in flavor, a beautiful red and yellow cherry tomato concoction of some sort was a thought.  The balsamic vinegar in the tomato ‘compote’ I finally decided on, really ties everything together with each bite.  Sweet, buttery, salty, slightly acidic, creamy…pure summer bounty bliss.

I gleaned ideas for the sweet corn filling from Chef de Cuisine Jacques Qualin, from his time at  Jean-George Vongerichten’s J&G Steakhouse. in which he which he simmers the corn in cream until almost reduced, similar to a one-shot risotto… then purees it, resulting in a sweet, thick, creamy filling for the ravioii, with the added texture of whole, cooked, corn kernels.  The warm tomato compote is part of a recipe from Epicurious that I’ve used for years, with my own additions and/or twists.

Oh, just a reminder, when you cut the kernels off the cob, don’t forget to milk the cob!!  Dull side of knife and scraaaaape doooowwwn.  Sweet corn milk should be a beverage staple.

If you get a chance, check out all the amazing pasta creations by my fellow Daring Cooks by clicking the links to their blogs HERE.  For some more pasta recipes (plus spaetzle..yum!) and sauces, click HERE!

Now, an all too familiar scenario the past month or so.  Another giveaway.  No, I’m not a giveaway freak or addict, and no, I’m not a freebie junkie, but I do LOVE to give stuff away, it’s just my nature, and those who know me well can vouch for that. When Denise Finnegan contacted me about sampling some Grana Padano cheese, and perhaps offering up the same for one of my readers, how could I resist?  Well..sample was an understatement.

DiPalo Selects in Little Italy, NYC, sent me a 3 lb wedge of Grana Padano Riserva, the highest quality Grana Padano..aged 20 to 30 months.  Along with that I received two little wedgie knives, pictured above.  The photo of my cheese is on your lower right. It’s huge!  Using that little knife, I cannot stop wedging off shards because it’s SO fantastic.  If you’ve never tried Grana Padano, it’s similar to Parmigiano-Reggiano, but younger, much more mellow and not as expensive.  However, this 3 lb wedge (mine was actually 3.5 lbs)  of Grana Padano Riserva retails for about $50.00 and up, depending where you buy it!  Before I tell you how you can win this giant, (which will be sent to you by DiPalo Selects), wedge of deliciousness, there is a part two to this giveaway.

Megan from buildasign.com has offered one of my readers the opportunity to make their own custom license plate, plus, either 10 custom bumper stickers or bumper magnets, OR 20 custom labels (2×4″ or 3×5″) for free..a $40.00 value! The winner will receive a coupon code to make their custom ‘whatever’ they choose.

Now, to enter this double giveaway, you can simply leave a comment telling me what you would do with your 3 lb hunk of Grana Padano Riserva outside of grating over pasta, OR, what you would put on your custom license plate and labels or bumper stuff at buildasign.com.  For extra entries, do any of the following and leave separate comments for each one you do.  A winner will be chosen July 27th, 2011 using random.org.

1. Follow me on Twitter @parsleynsage

2. Like Grana Padano on Facebook.

3. Visit buildasign.com and take a look around, so when you win, you’ll be ready 😉

4.  Tweet: I entered to win a HUGE Grana Padano Riserva cheese package plus $40.00 worth of custom goodies from buildasign.com http://bit.ly/pzLS1p

5. Subscribe to Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives, either by email or RSS Feed.

Finally, the winner of the 15 oz jar of Kelapo Coconut Oil and How to Cook Everything, 10th anniversary revised edition is….

Congratulations to Lynda Clark!!  Sent you an email to get your info ASAP, so I can mail out the cookbook, then forward your info to Jen of Kelapo Coconut, so she can send you your coconut oil!

Sweet Corn Grana Padano Ravioli with Brown Butter Basil Sauce and Warm Cherry Tomato Compote
Makes about 24 ravioli..4 main dish servings

One full plus one half of David Leite’s Homemade Pasta Dough Recipe at Leite’s Culinaria.  Follow instructions for rolling and cutting ravioli after mixing and kneading.  A scant tablespoon of filling per ravioli.

Sweet Corn Grana Padano Filling
Adapted from Jacques Qualin, with my revisions
1 tablespoon butter plus 1 teaspoon
2 cups fresh corn kernels, divided (about 4 small ears of corn)
2 minced shallots
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 to 1 teaspoon chopped, fresh thyme
1/3 cup grated Grana Padano
freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:
1.  Saute 1 cup of corn in 1 teaspoon of butter until slightly golden, set aside.

2,  In same pan, melt remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and add shallots.  Saute until soft, but not brown.  Add remaining cup of corn, salt and sugar and cook until corn is bright yellow.  Add the cream and let it reduce, stirring, until barely any cream remains. Remove pan from heat and puree in food processor until creamy.  Scrape into a bowl and stir in thyme, grana padano cheese, reserved cup of cooked, whole corn and grind black pepper to taste.  Set aside to cool while making and rolling pasta dough.

Browm Butter Basil Sauce
2 sticks butter
1/3 cup shredded  basil (roll several basil leaves together and cut into thin strips)

DIRECTIONS:
1. In sauce pan, heat butter over medium high and cook until golden brown.  Toss in basil just to wilt.  Set aside until ravioli is cooked and plated.

Warm Cherry Tomato *Compote
Adapted from Epicurious.com, with my revisions
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons teaspoons minced garlic
1 shallot, minced
6 cups assorted vine-ripened cherry tomatoes, some halved
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup finely shredded fresh basil leaves
1 teaspoon or so of sugar to balance acid & flavor, if you feel it’s needed upon tasting

DIRECTIONS:
1. Combine cherry tomatoes and basil in a medium bowl.

2. In a large non-stick skillet, heat vinegar, oil, and garlic over moderate heat until just simmering.

3. Pour hot dressing over cherry tomatoes and basil and toss gently to combine.  Let sit at room temperature for about one half hour to 45 minutes.

4.  You will have leftover tomato compote, enjoy over any pasta or over crostini or bruschetta, OR just eat as is.  Keep refrigerated and use within 2 or 3 days.

* Technically not completely a compote since I did not add the tomatoes to the hot dressing in the pan to cook down, instead choosing to pour the hot dressing over the tomatoes to cook them off the heat for just a bit..maintaining the shape and fresh flavor of each tomato.

ASSEMBLE PLATES OF RAVIOLI:
1.  Place 6 ravioli on each plate, and drizzle with brown butter basil sauce.  Top each plate with warm tomato compote and extra shaved or grated Grana Padano.