Have you tried Huitlacoche Soup?
The corn smut,
Ustilago maydis infects the growing parts of the corn, including the base of the internodes, the base and the midrib of leaves, and the young ears. The name "smut" refers to the ripe galls filled with dark sooty spores that are formed when the fungus infests the plant.
Ustilago maydis produces tumor-like masses on the infected corn which are covered with silvery-white or greenish-white layer. Powdery and darkened spores (teliospores) fill inside these masses and germinate in spring to produce basidiospores which are the actual infective particles of the fungus.
Now the story starts!
The corn smut is considered to be a remarkable hazard for the farmers and a disease to be eradicated in US. The US farmers either destroy the infected sweet corn or feed it to the pigeons.
Interestingly, and contrary to US farmer practices, Mexican farmers enjoy seeing their crop infected with the smut! Smut fungus is also sold canned and is known as "cuitlacoche" or "
Huitlacoche" in Mexico.
In Mesoamerican (Aztec and Maya) cultures, the sweet corn infected with smut fungi is a tasty food!
Huitlacoche (pronounced as wee-tlah-KOH-cheh) is the Nahuatl word for
Ustilago maydis. Nahuatl was the language of the Aztecs.
Also and interestingly an experimental program has now been started in US in Pennsylvania and Florida to allow farmers to cultivate
Ustilago maydis.
If you're eager to learn how to cook
Huitlacoche soup, check out the recipe below! You may also want to have a look at
the discussion of smuts from Tom Volk's website and
One Person's Disease . . . Is Another Person's Delicacy.
Huitlacoche soup: Recipe
(from Ellen and Tom Duffy)
Note. Huitlacoche should be used when fresh, not when old,dried and powdery. It may cause uterine contractions in pregnant women when old and decayed.
A.
1-1/2 cups milk
3 Tablespoons flour
3 Tablespoons butter or margarine
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
4-6 drops Tabasco sauce
B.
1 cup of Huitlacoche (or slightly more)
1 small yellow onion
1 clove garlic
2 Tablespoons bland oil or margarine or
ghee (clarified butter)
1 cup chicken broth
Whirl together all ingredients in group "A" in a blender or food processor until mixed. Cook slowly, stirring until white sauce thickens. Chop finely all solid ingredients in group "B" and sauté until tender -- add the Huitlacoche last as it cooks a little quicker. Whirl in blender or food processor with the chicken broth, add to the cream sauce, heat and enjoy.
Variations.
1. Substitute PickaPeppa sauce for the Worcestershire and Tabasco sauces.
2. Add 2 Tablespoons of chopped green chilies to group "B".
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