Mexican Corn Bowls with Brussels Sprouts and Bulgur

These vegetarian corn bowls make my mouth water every time. Bulgur wheat is a staple grain in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisines. It’s often used in salads and sometimes in place of rice. Made from parboiled cracked wheat, it adds a nutty flavor to these happy corn bowls. Hearty and quick cooking bulgar wheat is combined with peak season Brussels sprouts and red bell pepper, then topped with ridiculously creamy corn that borrows its flavors from “elote” – a popular Mexican street food of corn on the cob.

1. Prepare Ingredients Preheat oven to 400°F. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil over high heat. Rinse bell pepper, halve lengthwise and discard seeds, then cut lengthwise into ½-inch strips. Halve lime. Rinse cilantro and pick leaves, discarding stems. Roughly chop ½; leave remainder whole.

2. Roast Vegetables On a baking sheet, toss Brussels sprouts and bell pepper with 1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, and black pepper. Arrange in a single layer, transfer to oven, and roast until browned and tender, about 12 minutes.

3. Cook Bulgur While vegetables roast, add bulgur and a generous pinch salt to pot of boiling water and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and return to pot off the heat. Set aside.

4. Cook Corn While bulgur cooks, add butter to a medium pan over medium-high heat. When butter is foamy, add corn and cook until slightly charred and warmed through, about 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Stir in mayonnaise, Cotija, and juice of ½ lime. Taste and add salt and black pepper as needed.

5. Season Bulgur Add chopped cilantro, ½ of honey, juice of remaining ½ lime, and 1 tablespoon olive oil to pot with bulgur and stir to combine. Taste and add salt and black pepper as needed. Use remaining honey to sweeten a cup of tea.

6. Plate Bulgur Serve bulgur in pretty bowls with plenty of room for: a pile of roasted vegetables, a heap of creamy corn, as much cayenne pepper as desired, and a garnish of whole cilantro leaves.

Prepared by: Chef Hanna Yurkovetskaya