Yes it's Corny - Out In the Corn Field

The corn crop was excellent this year.  I planted one white corn variety which produced many modest size ears of corn that tasted and looked great.  The plants were well spaced which helped contribute to a high yield.  Corn is a heavy feeder and since I decided not to apply any fertilizer, and no side fertilizing I didn’t have high expectations.  Cover cropping of this area with various legumes (alfalfa, clover, etc.) was probably a big contributor to the fertility of this soil and good performance of this corn crop.  In the past I was able to obtain excellent backyard home garden corn crops using commercial fertilizers, now I’m excited to obtain similar results using organic gardening methods.

The inner parts of corn are highly nutritious but the cellulose in the shell isn’t highly digestible so corn should be chewed very well.  Processed corn through milling, grinding, and so on, is a good idea since the cellulose gets broken down, making it more digestible.  Corn is one of the most hybridized crops.  The original maize would probably be unrecognizable to modern consumers of corn.

Amazing Jamaican-style vegetarian corn-meal pudding

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fine cornmeal

• 1/2 cup gluten-free or all-purpose flour

• 1 cup coconut milk

• 1 cup water

• 1/2 cup coconut sugar

• 1/4 cup dairy-free butter

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

• 1/4 tsp pink salt

• 1/2 cup raisins

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 356°F (180°C) and grease a 10-inch springform baking tin.

2. Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pink salt.

3. Prepare wet ingredients: In a medium saucepan, combine the coconut milk, water, coconut sugar, vanilla, and dairy-free butter. Bring to a boil, whisking continuously until the butter melts.

4. Combine: Slowly pour the boiling liquid into the dry ingredients, whisking constantly to avoid lumps.

5. Add raisins and mix well.

6. Bake: Pour the mixture into the prepared baking tin and bake for about 50-60 minutes, or until the pudding is set and golden brown on top.

7. Cool and serve: Allow the pudding to cool before slicing. Enjoy it warm or at room temperature.