Spicy Garlicky Corn Cheese Bread

Photo by Heami Lee

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.

Get more chili crisp recipes like this from my CHILI CRISP COOKBOOK!

INGREDIENTS

• 3 whole garlic bulbs, plus 12 garlic cloves, minced (about ¼ cup)

• 1 ½ to 3 Tbsp olive oil

• One 15-oz can whole kernel corn, drained

• ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

• ¼ cup chili crisp

• 3 scallions, chopped

• 3 Tbsp mayonnaise

• 1 Tbsp garlic powder

• 1 ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

• 12-inch ciabbata loaf, cut lengthwise

• 1 cup shredded mozzarella

• Drizzle of honey (optional)

* Serves 4 to 6

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

2. Peel the outer layers of the whole garlic bulbs while leaving the garlic cloves 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 for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the cloves are browned and feel soft to the touch.

3. Remove the roasted garlic from the oven and increase the oven temperature to 450°F (230°C).

4. Squeeze the softened roasted garlic into a medium bowl and mash it into 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.

5. Halve the ciabatta lengthwise, then cut it in half crosswise to have four pieces total. Slather the garlicky spread on top of the bread, using about ½ cup (roughly around 80 g) per piece. Transfer the bread to a baking sheet and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.

6. 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, drizzle some honey (or hot honey!) on top 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 (200°C) oven for 10 to 15 minutes.