In Season: Corn
[Robyn Lee]
Summer's coming to a close and what better way to enjoy it than with some fresh corn? Whether simply grilled or gussied up in salads, soups, and pastas, there're countless ways to use up the bounty. Fresh corn is notoriously short-lived; as soon as it's picked, its sugars begin to convert to starch. Less sugar means less of that delicate sweet corn flavor that everyone loves so use it as soon as possible after purchase.
When picking corn, look for bright green, moist husks with a golden brown tassel and try to get a feel for plump, full kernels. Keep ears cool and moist and place in the refrigerator until ready to use. There are a variety of ways to cook up and prepare fresh corn, whether it be through the grill, oven, stove top, or microwave. To speed up cooking time, I often husk ears, place them in a Ziploc bag, and use the microwave to cook them most of the way through and then finish browning them on the grill or stove top. However if you want to revert to the boiling method, add a couple of tablespoons of sugar to help the corn better retain its own sugars. Don't salt the water as it'll only toughen the kernels.
If you'd like to cook just the kernels, a common trick is to place it in the center of a bundt pan and slice off the nubbins into the pan, but I don't find it particularly difficult to just do it on a regular cutting board. To extract all the cornalicious juices, after slicing off the kernels use a spoon to press down the length of the ear and squeeze out all that goodness.
[After the jump, a deluge of corn.]
Corn Recipes
- Grilled Corn (Red Hook Ball Field Style)
- Fresh Corn Salad
- Sweet Corn Soup with Avocado Cream
- Buttermilk Bacon Corn Salad Tomatoes
- Sweet Summer Corn and Edamame Salad with Walnut-Miso Dressing
- Black Bean and Roasted Corn Salsa
- Fresh Corn Fritters
- Pasta with Corn, Tomato, and Asparagus
- Corn Pudding
Do you have any corn-centric recipes to share with us?
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9 Comments:
How about Mexican corn?
BbqDude at 1:01PM on 08/22/09
My favorite this time of year is my own invention - corn and potato salad. I use the corn milk as part of the salad dressing. That enhances the corn flavor.
http://www.bostonzest.com/2008/07/summer-corn-and.html
The favorite corn experience here in Boston is Ken Oringer's corn at Toro. Here's a link to that one.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/05/04/earlyshow/saturday/main2762526.shtml
BostonZest at 1:26PM on 08/22/09
@Grace @BostonZest Hey great recipes! I think Mexican corn would also be a quite unique choice.
Marilyn
rawfoods at 12:54PM on 08/23/09
I usually just cut off the kernels in a large bowl. I once saw Rachel Ray put a smaller bowl upside down in a larger bowl to create a foot for the corn and allow the kernels to fall away from the cob. If you're bowl is large enough, this is unnecessary, but still an interesting technique.
Another great recipe: corn salsa with cherry tomatoes:
http://www.biggirlssmallkitchen.com/2009/07/big-girls-test-kitchen-summer-scallops.html
BigGirlPhoebz at 3:09PM on 08/23/09
I love to put the husked ear of corn in tin foil and twist tight the ends. Before twisting the final end pour a mix of milk and a bit of sugar [now I use agave, which works just as well] into the foil and twist the second end tight. Throw on the grill and they come out sweet and wonderful.
For quick? I throw the unhusked ear in the microwave for five minutes and it's done just right.
Nursie at 3:07AM on 08/24/09
Fried/creamed corn. Cut corn from cob;scrape milk from cobs. Cook briefly in butter and a splash of cream with salt and pepper to taste in skillet.
Lilla at 11:39AM on 08/24/09
lately just been choppin' them off the cob and throwing them into a really green salad, maybe some kale, gorgeous tomaters, etc. so good raw!
heavymetalpizzaparty at 12:15PM on 08/24/09
lately just been choppin' them off the cob and throwing them into a really green salad, maybe some kale, gorgeous tomaters, etc. so good raw!
heavymetalpizzaparty at 12:15PM on 08/24/09
I like mine simple: either grilled with nothing or boiled in slightly sweetened water.
Chew on That at 5:20PM on 08/24/09