As the year is coming to an end. Looking back, I can say definitely that my best discovery this year was no other... but a weird yeast like fungus, infecting corn. Yes, if you are familiar with it already (as it is a popular delicacy in Mexico), than you know I'm talking about Huitlacoche. As there is no other such thing.
I've read about Huitlacoche for many years, here and there, always in context of Mexican cuisine. But I never had a chance to try it until the end of this summer. And although I was familiar with it's look from photos I've seen in the past. I was shocked and felt uncertain when I first saw it. As it was in central Poland and I've never ever seen it in my country before. Neither I've ever heard that it was occurring live anywhere in Europe. So I was carefully sceptic for a moment when I saw it first. Until I've done quick research to assure myself that it is indeed the same species of corn grain fungus that is being commonly eaten in Mexico - Mycosarcoma maydis, synonym Ustilago maydis. Their beloved Huitlacoche, also known as a Corn Smut in USA.
Happy and very excited to finally try it. I've picked few Mycosarcoma infected swollen corn grains, that was still not black and was firm as it should. And when home, after more quick research on how best to eat it. I've decided to try some raw and just simply cook some in oven in 220'C for few minutes.
The raw one was fine. A unique combination of taste of a fresh, still soft, sweet and juicy corn, as you pick and graze on a corn cob straight after picking from cornfield when its nearly ripe. And a mushroomy, truffle like aftertaste and aroma. Unique and nice.
But the one I've took out from the oven, with just a pinch of salt was something much more. Both it's texture and taste felt not just like a truffle - fresh sweet corn combination, but a truly wonderful dough like thing. With taste rich but gentle and structure dense, soft and almost melting in your mouth. Giving immediate feeling of pleasure and lasting fullness with just a few consumed grains. So my advice is that if you ever had a chance to try it, do it so. As it tastes like no other thing on this planet.
Huitlacoche in not only highly nutritional, rich in phosphorus, magnesium and oleic and linoleic acids. But it also has some medicinal uses, that I will write more about here soon.
