a peek in the cupboard

[darkoshi]

A while back I bought a can of Cuitlacoche, also called "corn mushroom" or less flatteringly, "corn smut". It is considered a delicacy in Mexico, and was expensive - at least $4 or $5 for a small can. I don't recall ever having had it before, and suspected I might not like it, as in general, I don't even like mushrooms. But it being vegan, I figured I should at least try it.

It sat unopened in my cupboard a long time, as it being such a small can, it didn't seem worth the trouble of getting out my saute pan and cooking it.

Remember my trip to Kroger Marketplace, when I found the 89 cent bottle of date/orange/flaxseed/chili spread? (which by the way, makes a chili-bean-like tasting sandwich.) I went back to the same store a couple days later to get a shelf for supporting my keyboard when working standing up. I didn't end up getting the shelf, as it wasn't quite the right size. But this time, the special discount section had a bunch of Cuitlacoche cans, for only 39 cents each! I still didn't know if I'll even like the taste (especially after reading this review), but at least now I could buy enough for a whole panful, to make it seem worth the effort of cooking it.

I also got some other greatly discounted items - vegetarian taco filling, vegetable couscous sauce, and even some switchel drinks. Oh, and even a box of cinnamon raisin Matzo granola.

Man, that place is like a candy store.

Update - 2016/10/09:
I sauteed the cuitlacoche with onion and garlic in peanut oil, and ate it with cornbread and vegan smoked gouda cheese. The cuitlacoche actually tastes all right to me. I'm not sure how to describe it, but it's not at all mushroom-like. It reminds me of some food I've had before, but I can't think what.

Comments

[randomdreams.livejournal.com]

I had no idea they sold a canned variety. Our approach has been to go to farmers' markets and visit the farmers who claim to be organic, and sidle up and say sotto voce "do you have any corn smut?"
About 1/3 of the time they hiss "we don't HAVE that problem" (and they're lying: anyone who is actually growing corn without fungicides does in fact have corn smut), about 1/3 of the time they whisper back "yes, don't say anything and get this out of here" and hand us corn for free under the table, and 1/3 of the time (when the guys running the thing are Hispanic) they laugh and say "sorry, we ate it all" with no sense of panic or shame.

[darkoshi]

Fresh would undoubtedly be better. How do you cook yours? I plan to saute some garlic and onion, and then add the cuitlacoche (even though the cans already include some onion too).

I read that usually epazote is added, but I don't have any. In fact, I found this page with a whole bunch of herbs I'm not familiar with and am now curious about:
http://www.foodsubs.com/HerbsHisp.html

(edited to fix typo)

[randomdreams.livejournal.com]

We ended up sawing it off the cob, sauteeing it briefly, and then using it instead of corn in tacos.