Huitlacoche (pronounced weet-luh-kow-chay), also known as corn smut or the Mexican truffle, is a fungus that can be found on corn. Like most fungus, it likes dark, damp areas and once it gets into the corn cob, it overtakes it.

“It basically turns the corn kernels into these big, puffy blueish gray mushrooms,” Rawson said. “What you end up with is basically a mushroom that is sweet and has a corny flavor to it.”

In Mexico, it’s considered a delicacy, Rawson said. People have been eating it there for centuries and use it in various dishes such as soups, enchiladas, tortillas, quesadillas, tacos, tamales or omelettes.

Starting Friday, Meadowlark will feature a huitlacoche tostada as an appetizer during dinner. This special will run through the weekend with plans to return the following weekend.

The team at Meadowlark starts by cooking the huitlacoche like they would normally cook mushrooms. They sauté it down using butter or oil and add onions, zucchini and fire roasted poblanos to it.

“Portobellos have those big gills underneath so whenever you cook them they get real dark. This does the same thing,” Rawson said. “They’re a light, purplish gray on the outside, but on the inside where the spores are it’s dark. When you cut it up and cook it, it looks black.”

They top a tostado with the mixture and drizzle a cashew crema on top. The tostada is then served on a bed of fresh pico de gallo with lettuce.

This is not the first time Meadowlark has received a delivery of huitlacoche. Rawson said a couple of years ago he asked his local farmers what they did with the infected corn and at that time they were throwing it away.

He now uses Peach Mountain Organics at 1560 Richland Road in Spring Valley and Patchwork Gardens, which operates Bayer’s Melon Farm Market at 9555 W. Third St. in Dayton from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, for his supply of huitlacoche. In previous years, Meadowlark has either cooked the huitlacoche for its team or used it as a quick special. Rawson said the yield is unpredictable because some ears of corn could be infected just a little bit, while others the entire cob is infected.

“If you like mushrooms and you like corn, you’re going to like this,” Rawson said.

If you know of other restaurants in the Dayton region that serve corn smut, email Reporter Natalie Jones at natalie.jones@coxinc.com.

MORE DETAILS

Meadowlark is a casual, neighborhood restaurant at 5531 Far Hills Ave. in Washington Twp. The restaurant has a Midwestern mentality and focuses on using fresh, quality ingredients. Customers can find anything from a burger or a fish sandwich to a filet mignon or spaghetti carbonara on its menu.

Rawson and Valenti also own Wheat Penny Oven & Bar in downtown Dayton at 515 Wayne Ave.

For more information, visit meadowlarkrestaurant.com or the restaurant Facebook or Instagram pages.