Coconut-Corn Ice Cream with Brown Sugar Syrup and Peanuts

This one is coming to you a little late...both in terms of season and posting...but it's worth it.  I know we're at the tail end of corn season, but keep this on hand for next year summer...or use frozen corn cobs to put this together.

Are you ready for this?  Savory ice cream.  I KNOW!!!  It sounds crazy, but it's crazy good.  This is from the same issue that featured the garam masala buttered-creamed corn and was too good to pass up.  The reason I'm posting a little later in the evening is because "someone" didn't read the instructions closely and discovered that it takes a couple of hours to pull it all together so make sure you take the time into account when you try it.

Coconut-Corn Ice Cream with Brown Sugar Syrup and Peanuts
page 79, Bon Appetit, August 2012 -- directions paraphrased

ice cream
6 ears of corn, husked
2 cans (13.5-14 oz) coconut milk
3/4 cups sweetened condensed milk

brown sugar syrup
2 tsp coriander seeds
1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup water
1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns
kosher salt

garnish
1 cup salted roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

ICE CREAM

Using the largest holes on a box grater, coarsely grate corn kernels from cobs into a large bowl (or container) and reserve cobs.

Heat coconut milk in a large saucepan over medium heat until almost simmering.  Add grated corn, corn cobs, and condensed milk.  Cook stirring occasionally, until mixture barely begins to simmer, about 5 minutes. 

Remove saucepan from heat, discard cobs, then cover and let steep for 1 hour.

Strain corn mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible.  Discard solids (see notes).

Cover mixture and chill for 4 hours or overnight.  Once thoroughly chilled, process mixture in ice cream maker according to machine directions.

Transfer to an airtight container (with cover) and freeze at least 3 hours and up to 1 week.

SYRUP

Toast coriander seeds in a small dry skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant, 1-2 minutes.

Transfer to a cutting board and crush with bottom of pan or with a mortar and pestle or rough chopped in a coffee/spice grinder.

Stir sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves.  Add coriander and peppercorns, season with salt.

Bring to a simmer over medium heat, swirling pan occasionally and brushing down the sides with a wet pastry brush until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and let cool.  Strain, cover and chill for up to 1 month.

SERVE

Scoop out, drizzle with syrup and garnish with peanut pieces.

NOTES

As you may have noticed in the first photo, grating kernels off a cob is very messy work.  I would cover anything in the surrounding area with something that can easily be cleaned.  Might not hurt to wear an apron...and/or goggles.  It also produces a lot of liquid that you can discard, or save to use with something else...what else, I don't know yet, working on coming up with something.

In the original recipe, it says to discard the grated corn slush after you strain the seeped liquid.  I found that's it's actually pretty tasty and would recommend holding onto it to either (1) eat as is, (2) use as an alternative/addtional topping to the ice cream, or (3) I bet it would be nummers over some vanilla pudding.  Or you can just toss it.

Easiest way to chop the peanuts, is to put them in a ziplock baggie and pound on them with a mallet until they break into the size pieces you want.

Special note about the syrup...OMG it's sooooo good.  The brown sugar and peppercorns work really well together.