It is no secret that I am a huge fan of corn. Not necessarily the kernels but anything made with cornmeal and hominy to be precise. I started to think of things to make with hominy besides posole and when I saw this recipe for fresh corn pesto I immediately thought of trying a version with the hominy. Well why not, it's sweet, it's creamy, it's very diabetic friendly, gluten free and low fat. I only hoped I wasn't going to regret wasting a whole can of hominy on a whim, so I decided to do some research to see of anyone else had the same idea.
The only thing I found was whole hominy mixed with a jarred basil pesto. Not even close. I was on my own with this one, I only hoped that hominy is as good in a paste as it is, eaten whole.
I had a cup of hominy and a cup of this in the freezer and was a good way to not only use up leftovers but to give a good start to this pesto.
I also liked the addition of bacon (can be omitted) and using the rendered fat (use olive oil) to saute the hominy and caramelize 1/4 cup of thinly sliced onions. I will reserve 1/4 cup whole hominy and process the remaining with the onions, the toasted pine nuts and the pesto from last week. I always add the cheese right before serving, as the heat generated from the processing does change the texture and the taste of the cheese (use a vegan Parmesan).
Now that we have particulars of the dish, let's discuss the nutritional benefits of hominy. Yes, it is corn but recently the food police have realized that corn is a high-resistant food, which is a great thing for a diabetic. Also, 1 cup of hominy is equal to about 1/3 cup of corn by volume, so you are actually eating less corn.
One serving, or 1/2 cup of hominy, contains about 100 calories, 0.5 grams of fat and 4.5 percent calories from fat. A serving of hominy also provides your body with 4 grams, or 16 percent of your daily recommended intake of dietary fiber which regulates your blood sugar, encourages a healthy digestive systems and may help reduce cholesterol levels. Hominy contains no saturated fat or cholesterol and only 1 gram of sugar.
I'm sold, you should be too. I have officially added this food to my list of not so popular good diabetic foods to experiment with in the coming new year.
Hang with me peeps I will have you eating foods you never thought you would or could.
If you do not already have premade pesto follow the directions as written, for those with pesto, omit the ingredients in red.
serves 4
* 1 box (12oz) fettuccine
* 3 slices bacon, cut into lardons
* 1/2 onion, sliced thin
* 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
* 1 cup canned hominy, rinsed and drained, reserving 1/4 cup
* 1/3 cup olive oil
* 2 tablespoons butternut squash seed oil (walnut will also work)
* Salt & pepper to taste
* 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
* 1/4 cup prepared pesto (I used this one)
* 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated + extra for serving
* 3/4 cup basil leaves, divided
* 1 garlic clove
1. Cook bacon in large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp and brown, stirring often. Using slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels. Drain off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from skillet. Add 3/4 cup hominy and onions to drippings and saute until the onions are soft. Shut off the heat and add vinegar, scrapping the bottom to remove the browned bits.
2. Place everything but the cheese and 1/4 cup reserved hominy into the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until smooth. Remove to a bowl, add in bacon and hominy (that has been roughly chopped).
3. Cook pasta in large pot of salted water according to the box directions. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking water.
4. In skillet add 1/2 cup pesto with 1/4 cup pasta water and stir to combine. Drop pasta into skillet and toss, adding more pesto and water to get the consistency of a light sauce. Serve with additional grated cheese.
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