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Entry from December 25, 2007
Yellow Velvet (corn and squash dish)

“Yellow Velvet” (a simple corn and squash dish) is said to be a Shaker recipe from the nineteenth century. Butter, cream, and fresh ground black pepper are usually included in the recipe.
   
The book Cooking with Texas Highways (2005), by Nola McKey, included a recipe for “Yellow Velvet,” with the ingredients of chopped red bell peppers and a dash of Tabasco sauce added to the corn and squash. The recipe was reprinted in the Dallas Morning News on December 19, 2007, with the statement: “We’re betting Austin’s love for Yellow Velvet will be contagious.” It’s easy to see how this dish could become a popular part of Southwestern cuisine.
 
 
About.com: Home Cooking
Yellow Velvet
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 pounds yellow summer squash (small and tender are best), trimmed and finely diced
2 cups corn kernels
1/3 cup heavy cream
Salt and fresh ground black pepper, to taste
 
Instructions:
Prepare squash and corn, scraping the cob with the back of knife to include milky base of kernels. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the squash and stir frequently until it is softened, about 5 minutes. Add the corn and cook for a minute or two longer.
Add the cream, stirring constantly for about 3 minutes longer until the mixture is heated through. Season and serve at once.
   
Yield: 4 servings
From: Corn Cookery by Sheila Buff (Lyons and Burford Publishers) 
 
Epicurious
yellow velvet
Submitted by dasypus | Updated: January 11, 2007
A simple Shaker dish to accompany a main meal. I have never met anyone who didn’t think it was delicious. The main ingredient is squash. Butternut or Crown Prince are best.
Servings: portions
serving size unit: 4
 
Ingredients
1 Good size winter squash (butternut or crown prince are best).
1 cob of corn or one can of corn, drained.
A little black pepper.
A generous knob of butter.
 
Preparation
Peel, de-seed and chop the squash into chunks. Boil untill soft enough to mash. Drain very thoroughly as it has a tendecy to hold too much liquid and make the mash all soggy.
Add the sweetcorn. If using fresh corn scrape from cob using a sharp knife.
Add butter and a little black pepper (to taste) and mash thoroughly.
   
Google Books
Prairie Home Cooking
by Judtih M. Fertig
Cambridge, MA: Harvard Common Press
1999
Pg. 321:
YELLOW VELVET CORN AND SQUASH
By the first decade of the nineteenth century, the Shakers had established settlements in a half dozen communities in Ohio and Indiana. This dish, adapted from the traditional Shaker repertoire, does look like yellow velvet and tastes like a golden summer day in corn country. Use the smallest, tenderest yellow squash and the freshest sweet corn for the best flavor.
Serves 4 to 6
2 cups finely chopped yellow summer squash
2 cups corn kernels, preferably fresh
1 cup heavy cream, half-and-half, or evaporated skim milk
Salt and white pepper to taste
 
1. Place the squash and corn in 2 separate saucepans and add water just to cover. Bring each to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, until just tender, about 4 minutes for each. Remove from the heat and drain.
2. Puree the cooked corn kernels in the bowl of a food processor. Combine the corn puree and the cooked squash in a saucepan and stir in the cream. Heat gently over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until just warmed through, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and white pepper, transfer to a bowl, and serve.
 
Vegetarian Times
Yellow Velvet
Vegetarian Times Issue: October 1, 2001   p.66  
4 servings
Ingredient list
2 medium yellow squash, about 1⁄2 lb., thinly sliced
2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
1 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. heavy cream
Fresh parsley sprigs for garnish
Directions
Bring two medium saucepans of water to a boil. Add squash to one and reduce heat. Cover and cook until tender, about 6 minutes. Add corn to the other saucepan and cook, uncovered, until tender, about 6 minutes. Drain both well in colander.
Transfer squash and corn to serving bowl. Add butter and cream and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Garnish with fresh parsley sprigs and serve hot.
   
Dallas (TX) Morning News
Recipes that celebrate Christmas with Hill Country flair
Menu includes beef, peaches and pecan pie
08:10 AM CST on Wednesday, December 19, 2007
By KIM PIERCE / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
(...)
We’re betting Austin’s love for Yellow Velvet will be contagious. The popular holiday dish combines corn, yellow squash and red bell pepper with cream and a dash of Tabasco sauce.
(...)
YELLOW VELVET
1 (12-ounce) can shoepeg corn (about 2 cups), drained
½  cup chopped red bell pepper, plus additional for garnish
½  cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
1 pound yellow squash, trimmed and sliced
Tabasco sauce to taste
6 tablespoons butter, cut in pats, or less to taste
Sliced green onions for garnish
 
In a medium saucepan, combine corn, bell pepper, cream, sugar, salt and pepper; simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.
In another saucepan, cook squash, covered, in a small amount of salted water for 15 to 20 minutes, or until soft. Drain squash, and purée in a blender (or with a hand-held blender).
Add squash to corn mixture; cover and simmer 15 minutes more. (Recipe can be prepared in advance to this point and refrigerated.)
Season with Tabasco sauce and more salt and pepper to taste. Stir in butter about 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with green onion and red bell pepper. Makes 6 servings.
 
PER SERVING: Calories 241 (69% fat) Fat 19 g (12 g sat) Cholesterol 57 mg Sodium 620mg Fiber 3 g Carbohydrates 17 g Protein 3 g
SOURCE: Cooking With Texas Highways (University of Texas Press, $25)
Zip tip: Make part of the recipe the day before.

Posted by Barry Popik
Texas (Lone Star State Dictionary) • Tuesday, December 25, 2007 • Permalink


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