Fresh corn polenta paired with fried eggs is the perfect summer breakfast or lunch. The texture is identical to polenta but tastes so much more flavorful.
Let’s talk about polenta, and not the stuff from the box but polenta made with fresh corn! I recently discovered this recipe while browsing through Taste and Techniques by Chef Naomi Pomeroy which has become one of my go to cookbooks when I need to look for the best technique to prep or cook a dish.
Fresh corn polenta is made straight from the cob. Ears of sweet summer corn are grated using a box grater to capture all the juices and starches to help emulsify the kernels. Grating fresh corn does require a bit of elbow grease but the result in incredibly delicious. The texture is identical to polenta but tastes so much more flavorful. I added in a bit of mascarpone for a little creaminess but you can also add in any cheeses and herbs you fancy.
To make it a complete meal, a fried egg is served along the fresh corn polenta but you can pair it with tomato confit, roasted veggies, or a protein of choice. This fresh corn polenta is so good that I have been making it weekly and will make it for the rest of the summer while fresh corns are in season.
If you like polenta, check out this recipe: truffled polenta with mushroom ragu.
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Fresh corn polenta is made with grated fresh corns. The texture is identical to polenta but tastes so much more flavorful.
- 4 ears of bicolor corns
- 2 tbsps unsalted butter, room temp
- 2 tbsps mascarpone
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
- 4 medium organic eggs
- 2 tbsps extra-virgin olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground pepper for serving
- 2 tbsps chopped chives for serving
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Put two pieces of parchment paper on a baking sheet. Shuck the corn and remove any silk.
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Snap each ear in half. Use the largest holes of a box grater, grate the corn to the cob over the parchment to capture all of the kernels and corn juices. Carefully lift the paper and pour everything into a bowl.
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Over medium-low heat, in a saucepan, add the butter. Add the corn and its juices, the salt, and the pepper and cook, stirring constantly, about 10 minutes.
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Don’t add any liquid unless you really have to, but if the corn sticks and looks very dry, add 1 tablespoon of water. Stir and taste often until no liquid is left and none of the corn tastes raw.
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Turn off the heat and stir in the mascarpone. Divide the corn among four plates.
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Heat nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and heat until the surface is rippling slightly but not smoking.
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Crack the egg into the hot pool of oil. If the oil is hot enough, the white should spread only a little. Use a spoon to quickly baste the hot oil onto the egg white, being careful to avoid the yolk. Continue spooning the hot oil onto the white until the white is almost set, about 45 seconds.
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When the white is opaque, use a spatula to transfer the egg directly on top of the polenta.
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Repeat with the remaining eggs, adding more olive oil as necessary, then garnish each plate with chives, additional salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately.
