9 Ways To Enjoy Corn
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9 Ways To Enjoy Corn
When cobs are coming out your ears
There’s no shortage of corn at the farmers market right now. We’re here to talk about alternatives to eating corn straight from the cob; for example, you’ve probably adored creamed corn for most of your life. (Quick recipe: Throw some kernels in a pan with some butter, and after a little while, add some cream along with seasoning. Heat it and eat.) We’ve got a handful of options to get you started. Feel free to suggest favorites in the comments.
1. Succotash
Makes: 4
Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter
1 medium red bell pepper
1 1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
1 cup frozen lima beans
Salt and pepper
2 scallions
Instructions
1. Put 3 tablespoons of butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Core, seed, and chop the pepper; add it to the skillet.
2. Cook the pepper, stirring once or twice until it begins to soften, 2 or 3 minutes.
3.Add 1 1/2 cups corn and 1 cup lima beans and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally until both are hot all the way through, 3 to 4 minutes.
4. When the succotash is hot, taste and adjust seasoning and serve hot or at room temperature.
— Recipe from How to Cook Everything Fast
2. Mexican Street Corn
Ingredients
4 ears fresh corn
1 lime
1/4 teaspoon chile powder, or more to taste
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
Instructions
1.Prepare a grill or turn the broiler to high; put the rack four inches from the heat.
2.Husk the corn. If broiling put it on a rimmed baking sheet. Halve the lime.
3. Grill or broil the corn, turning as necessary, until all the sides are charred in places, 5 to 8 minutes total. Squeeze the lime juice into a small bowl and add 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1/4 teaspoon chile powder, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Stir to combine, taste, and adjust the seasoning, adding more chile powder if you like.
4.When the corn is done, remove it from the grill or broiler and spread each ear all over with some of the mayonnaise mixture. Serve hot.
— Recipe from How To Cook Everything Fast
3. Tomato and Corn Cobbler
Makes: 4
Time: About 30 minutes
Ingredients
Olive oil
2 tablespoons cold butter, plus some for greasing the pan
1 egg
3/4 cup flour, plus more if needed
3/4 cup finely ground cornmeal
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
Salt
1/2 cup buttermilk plus more if needed
1 cup fresh corn kernels
2 pints cherry tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
1 medium red onion
Pepper
Several sprigs of fresh basil for garnish
2 ounces parmesan cheese (1/2 cup grated)
Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Grease an ovenproof skillet (preferably not cast iron) with olive oil or butter. Cut 2 tablespoons of cold butter into cubes. Crack the egg into a small bowl and beat it.
2. Put 3/4 cup flour, 3/4 cup cornmeal, 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, and a sprinkle of salt in a food processor. Add the cubed butter and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse bread crumbs.
3. Add the beaten egg and 1/2 cup buttermilk and pulse a few more times until the mixture comes together in a thick, sticky batter. If the mixture seems too wet, add more flour; if too dry, add more buttermilk. Fold in the cup of fresh corn kernels.
4. Halve the cherry tomatoes and put them in a medium bowl. Peel and thinly slice 2 garlic cloves; add them to the bowl. Trim, peel, halve, and slice the red onion. Add it to the bowl.
5. Put the tomato mixture in the skillet. Spoon dollops of the biscuit batter across the top.
6. Bake until the biscuits are golden and cooked through and tomatoes and onions are softened, 20 to 25 minutes. Strip the basil leaves from several sprigs. Grate 1/2 cup parmesan.
7. When the cobbler is done, sprinkle the parmesan on top and tear the basil leaves over all. Drizzle with a little olive oil if you like. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.
— Recipe from How To Cook Everything Fast
4. Corn With Tomatoes and Basil
Combine raw corn kernels with sliced cherry tomatoes or chopped plum tomatoes and lots of basil in a large bowl. Add olive oil and lemon juice or good vinegar; toss. Garnish: More basil.
— Recipe from The New York Times
5. Corn on the Cob, Grilled or Roasted
Makes: 4 servings
Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients
8 ears fresh corn, shucked
Salt and pepper
Butter (optional)
Instructions
1. Heat a gas or charcoal grill until moderately hot; adjust the rack about 4 inches from the heat source. Or, turn the oven to 500 degrees.
2. Grill or roast the corn, turning a few times until some of the kernels char a bit and others are lightly browned, 8 to 15 minutes total. Serve with salt, pepper, and butter if you like.
— Recipe from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian
6. Corn Fritters
Makes: 4 servings
Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
¾ cup cornmeal (the fresher the better)
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Salt and pepper
¾ cup milk, plus more if needed
1 egg
2 cups corn kernels
Good-quality vegetable oil, as needed
Instructions
1. Combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and some salt and pepper in a large bowl. Beat together the milk and egg, then pour the mixture into the dry ingredients, adding a few tablespoons more milk if necessary to make a thick but smooth batter. Stir in the corn.
2. Put at least 2 inches oil in a deep pan on the stove and turn the heat to medium-high; bring to 350 degrees.
3. Drop the fritters by the cup or large spoonful into the hot oil; you’ll probably need to raise the heat to maintain temperature. Cook the fritters in batches, turning once, until nicely browned on all sides, a total of 4 to 5 minutes per batch. Drain the fritters on paper towels, then eat them as they are finished or keep them warm in a 180 degree oven until they are all done.
— Recipe from How to Cook Everything Vegetarian
7. Basic Corn Chowder
Ingredients
4 to 6 ears of corn
1 tablespoon butter or neutral oil, like canola or grapeseed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2tomatoes, cored, seeded and chopped (optional)
1cup whole or low-fat milk
½ cup chopped parsley (optional)
Instructions
1. Shuck corn, and use a paring knife to strip kernels into a bowl. Put cobs in a pot with 4 cups water; bring to a boil, cover and simmer while you continue.
2. Put butter or oil in a saucepan, and turn heat to medium-high. When butter melts or oil is hot, add onion and potatoes, along with a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens, about 5 minutes; add tomatoes and cook, stirring, for another minute or two.
3. After corncobs have cooked at least 10 minutes, strain liquid into onion-potato mixture; bring to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer. When potatoes are tender, add corn kernels and milk, and heat through. Taste, and adjust seasonings. Garnish with the parsley, and serve.
— Recipe from The New York Times
8. Grilled Corn Pudding
Makes: 4 to 6 servings
Time: 60 to 70 minutes, largely unattended
Like mac and cheese, corn pudding is always welcome on the picnic table, a perfect partner for most anything barbecued. Grill the corn before mixing up the batter and you’ve got something extraordinary. You can put this together and bake it when guests arrive, or the day before and reheat it just before serving.
Ingredients
6 ears corn, shucked and grilled
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted, plus more for greasing the pan
2 cups milk
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch square baking dish or 9- or 10-inch cast-iron skillet.
2. When the corn is cool enough to handle, cut the kernels from cobs, working downward along the cob over a bowl to collect any juices; you should have about 4 cups corn. Whisk the butter, milk, eggs, and salt together in a large bowl. Stir in the corn. Pour the batter into the baking dish.
3. Bake on the center rack of the oven until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean and the pudding no longer jiggles but is still soft to the touch, 40 to 50 minutes. Serve with a big spoon, hot or warm.
— Recipe from How to Grill Everything
9. Grilled Corn Salad
Makes: 2 to 4 servings
Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
2 tablespoons corn oil
6 to 8 ears of corn, shucked
1 shallot, peeled and chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and chopped
1 teaspoon mild chili powder, like ancho
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium tomato, chopped
The chopped meat of 1 ripe avocado
Juice of 2 limes, or more to taste
1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro leaves, more or less
Instructions
1. Grill the corn over a medium-hot fire, turning frequently, until at least some of the kernels are charred. As soon as you can handle it, stand the corn up in a bowl and use a paring knife to strip the kernels off the cob. Stir in all the remaining ingredients, taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve.
— Recipe from Grub Street