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Aug 25, 2023

Spicy Garlicky Corn Cheese Ciabatta Recipe

By James Park This corn cheese ciabatta is exactly what it sounds like: garlic bread meets Korean corn cheese! There are three different components to build strong, bold garlic flavors: roasted garlic

By James Park

This corn cheese ciabatta is exactly what it sounds like: garlic bread meets Korean corn cheese! There are three different components to build strong, bold garlic flavors: roasted garlic paste, minced raw garlic, and garlic powder. Roasted garlic paste has a subtle sweetness, while the minced raw garlic has a more pungent, pronounced garlic taste. Then, garlic powder glues all the other garlic flavors together. If you laugh at a recipe that only uses one clove of garlic, this is the one that uses all your garlic.

Korean corn cheese is a fairly simple dish that consists of sweet canned corn kernels, lots of mayonnaise, and mozzarella cheese. All these essential ingredients are mixed into the super garlicky paste in this gloriously delicious marriage of two dishes. Chili crisp brings everything together as a cultural bridge that connects a classic Korean side dish and an Italian American staple. A drizzle of honey—or hot honey—adds an optional touch of sweetness.

The garlicky corn cheese paste is super jammy, and you can really slather it on anything, such as naan or pizza dough. But hearty bread like ciabatta can really handle the thick layer of jammy paste here.

This recipe was excerpted from 'Chili Crisp' by James Park. Buy the full book on Amazon.

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Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

$16 At Amazon

Chili Crisp

$12 At Amazon

Sheet Pan

$23 At Amazon

Serves 4 to 6

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Peel the outer layers of the whole garlic bulbs while leaving the bulbs intact. Cut about ½ inch from the top of the bulbs to expose the cloves. Cover each bulb with ½ to 1 Tbsp. of olive oil. Tightly wrap the garlic with aluminum foil and bake them for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the cloves are browned and feel soft to the touch.

Remove the roasted garlic from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 450°F.

Squeeze the softened roasted garlic into a medium bowl and mash it to make a paste. There should be about 2 Tbsp. of roasted garlic paste. Add the corn, butter, Parmesan, chili crisp, minced garlic, green onions, mayonnaise, sugar, garlic powder, and pepper. Stir until it combines into a spreadable paste.

Slice the ciabatta in half lengthwise, then cut it in half crosswise to make four pieces total. Slather the garlicky spread on top of the bread, using about ½ cup per piece. Transfer the bread to a baking sheet and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese.

Bake for 10 to 13 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the bread is toasted. Serve immediately. If you want to add a little bit of sweetness to balance the garlicky, spicy flavors, add a drizzle of honey (or hot honey!) at the end. The leftovers can be wrapped in aluminum foil and kept in the freezer until ready to eat again. Reheat them in a 400°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes.

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