Colorful corn and corn smut
Colorful corn and corn smut, also known as Mexican truffle, cuitlacoche. We tried it at Tepoztlan, when we had our cooking classes there, it was tasty! The unique, earthy taste has been part of local cuisine since Aztec times. They would use the corn and the attached fungus in tamales and stews. Huitlacoche has a very pungent earthy, sweet yet savory and woody taste with flavors of mushroom and corn. Mexicans enjoy it prepared in various dishes, such as in succotash, omelets, or as a filling for tacos or tamales. When cooking huitlacoche, it must be simmered slowly to allow the starch to separate from the fungus and turn a dark black color.
