Enjoy sweet corn fresh from farm fields

  Sweet corn is a summer favorite, and it’s in season now with plenty of ripe ears on grocery shelves and at farmers markets.

In addition to being a tasty treat, sweet corn is a good source of carbohydrates, B vitamins and fiber.

It’s also a versatile vegetable, ideal to eat on its own — grilled, roasted, microwaved or boiled on the cob — or served as an entree or side dish.

When shopping, look for yellow, white or bicolor cobs of corn with husks that are bright green and well-filled ears with plump kernels. The kernels at the tip of the ear should be smaller than the rest — large kernels indicate corn is overly mature.

Avoid corn with under-developed kernels, wilted or dried husks, brown kernels, or depressed areas on the kernels.

Sweet corn should be refrigerated immediately and eaten soon after purchase because its quality deteriorates rapidly after harvest. Leave the husks on until you are ready to prepare the corn to retain moisture.

Remove the husks and silk prior to cooking. A vegetable brush will help remove stubborn silk.

If you find a worm in the ear, there’s no reason to discard the entire cob, simply remove the portion with the worm. You may cut the kernels from the cob or cook the cob intact.

You can cook a cob of corn on the grill, in the microwave or in a pot of boiling water. Butter it, using either plain butter or an herbal butter, then season with salt and pepper. While this is an ideal side dish, it also makes a delicious meal by itself.

For a spicy ear of corn, make a chile butter. Finely shred the peel from two limes, then juice them. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup softened butter and the lime peel and juice. Stir in 1 teaspoon ground ancho chile pepper, 1 teaspoons ground chipotle chile pepper and four minced cloves of garlic.  Use this mixture on a cob of corn or over a dish of freshly cut kernels.

Try the taste of corn and tomatoes — quintessential summer vegetables — in a quick saute. Cook one cup fresh corn kernels and 1/2 cup diced shallots in two teaspoons canola oil in a medium skillet for about five minutes, stirring occasionally until lightly browned. Remove from the heat and let it stand for five minutes, then stir in one pound diced tomatoes, one tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon or basil and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Following are sweet corn recipes from iowagirleats.com.

 

Creamy (No Cream!) Sweet Corn and Potato Chowder

5 cups chicken broth

6 cups cauliflower florets

1 tablespoon butter or extra virgin olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 slices bacon, chopped

1 small carrot, chopped

1 stalk celery, shopped

1 large shallot, chopped

Salt

Pepper

4 cups frozen hash browns

2 cups sweet corn kernels, fresh or frozen

Bring chicken broth to a boil in a large soup pot, then add cauliflower. Cover and cook until cauliflower is fork-tender.

Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat, then add garlic and saute one minute, until golden brown.

Transfer cooked cauliflower and four cups chicken broth to a blender — you may need to do this in two batches — then add garlic butter, milk and salt. Blend one to two minutes, until very smooth. Set aside.

In the soup pot, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain, then remove all but two teaspoons bacon grease. Add carrots, celery and shallots, season with salt and pepper and saute five to six minutes, until tender.

Add cauliflower sauce, reserved broth and hash browns, then cover, turn heat to medium-high and bring chowder to a bubble. Cook eight to 10 minutes, until potatoes are tender. Add sweet corn and cook until warmed through. Stir bacon into chowder, then serve.

Makes four to six servings.

 

 

Sweet Corn Caprese Salad

8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese pearls

2 cups raw sweet corn kernels

1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half

2 large green onions, sliced

1/2 cup packed fresh basil, chopped

1/2 cup Italian salad dressing

Salt

Pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, toss and let sit 15 to 30 minutes, then serve.

Makes four to six servings.

 

 

 

Sweet Corn and Bacon Skillet Mac and Cheese

1/2 pound gemelli or other short-cut pasta

4 strips bacon, chopped

1-1/2 cups sweet corn kernels

Salt

Pepper

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup milk

1 cup chicken broth

2 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese

1 vine-ripened tomato, chopped

Add pasta to a large pot of salted, boiling water and cook until al dente. Drain, then set aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat, then add bacon and cook until crisp. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside.

Remove all but one teaspoon bacon fat from the skillet, then add sweet corn and season with salt and pepper. Saute three to four minutes, until just barely tender. Place corn on a plate and set aside.

Melt butter in skillet, then add flour and stir 30 seconds. Slowly add milk and chicken broth while whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper, then switch to a wooden spoon and cook five minutes, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly. Remove from heat, then add cheese and stir until smooth.

Add cooked pasta, bacon and corn , then stir to combine. Serve topped with chopped tomatoes.

Makes four servings.

 

 

 

Cilantro-Lime Chicken Meatball Bowls with Sweet Corn Pico de Gallo and Cauli-Rice

For meatballs:

1 pound ground chicken breast

2 green onions, chopped

1/4 cup minced red bell pepper

1/2 jalapeno, seeded and minced

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

Juice of 1/2 lime

1 egg, whisked

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste

For rice:

1 Tablespoon coconut oil

1 small head cauliflower, grated

Salt

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Juice of 1/2 lime

For pico de gallo:

Juice of 1 lime

2 teaspoons honey

2 vine-ripened tomatoes, seeded and chopped

3/4 cup sweet corn

1/4 red onion, minced

1/2 jalapeño, seeded and minced

1/4 cup packed cilantro, chopped

Salt

For guacamole:

2 ripe avocados

Juice of 1/2 lime

1/2 cup sweet corn

1 large or 2 small cloves garlic, pressed or minced

Salt

In a large bowl, place ground chicken, green onions, pepper, jalapeno, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, egg, breadcrumbs, salt and sugar. Mix with your hands until just combined. Form into 16 meatballs, then place onto a half-sheet pan lined with foil and coated with cooking spray. Bake in a 400-degree oven for 16 to 18 minutes, then set aside.

For rice, melt coconut oil in a large skillet over heat that’s just a touch above medium. Add riced cauliflower, season with salt and saute eight to 10 minutes, until crisp-tender. Remove skillet from heat, then stir in chopped cilantro and a drizzle of lime juice. Set aside.

Whisk together honey, salt and the juice of 1/2 lime in a medium sized bowl. Add tomatoes, corn, onion, jalapeno and cilantro and stir to combine. Add more lime juice if desired.

Mash avocados, lime juice, sweet corn, garlic and salt in a bowl with a fork or potato masher to create guacamole.

To assemble, scoop cauliflower rice into bowls and top with chicken meatballs, guacamole and sweet corn pico de gallo.

Makes four servings.

 

 

Sweet Corn With Maple-Bourbon Brown Butter and Bacon

4 slices maple bacon, chopped

3 tablespoons European butter

3 ears sweet corn, kernels cut off cob

2 green onions, chopped

2 teaspoon bourbon

1-1/2 teaspoons maple syrup

Salt

Pepper

Place bacon in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until crispy. Place on a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Remove bacon grease from skillet.

Melt butter in skillet. When it begins to foam, swirl skillet until the butter is caramel brown. Add sweet corn, green onions, bourbon, maple syrup, salt and pepper, then turn the heat up slightly and toss to combine. Saute seven to eight minutes, until corn is tender and caramelized, stirring every so often. Add bacon, taste and adjust seasonings.

Makes four to five servings.

 

 

Creamy Sweet Corn Pasta With Basil

6 ounces spaghetti

6 tablespoons butter

10oz cauliflower, trimmed and chopped into small florets

1 small shallot, minced

Salt

Pepper

2 ears sweet corn, kernels sliced from cob

2 large garlic cloves, pressed or minced

1/4 cup packed fresh basil leaves, chopped

Fresh lemon juice

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with a big pinch of salt, then add pasta and cook until al dente. Don’t drain. Reserve about two cups pasta cooking water.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add cauliflower and shallot, season with salt and pepper, then saute five minutes, until cauliflower begins to turn golden brown. Turn heat to medium and add sweet corn and garlic, season with more salt and pepper and saute five minutes, until corn is slightly tender. Add basil and a small squeeze of lemon juice, then stir to combine.

Use tongs to transfer pasta into skillet and toss to combine. Add Parmesan cheese and one cup reserved pasta cooking water, then simmer while stirring until a light and creamy sauce forms. Add more pasta cooking water if needed to achieve a light sauce — the sauce will thicken as it cools. Taste, adding more salt or fresh lemon juice as needed, then serve.

Makes four servings.

 

 

 

Sweet Corn Risotto

6 cups chicken broth

3 tablespoons European butter

2 cups sweet corn kernels

2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced in half, then into thin half moons

2 cloves garlic, minced

Salt

Pepper

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 large shallot or 1/2 small onion, chopped

1-1/2 cups arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Bring chicken broth to a boil in a saucepan, then turn heat to low and cover pan.

Melt two Tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sweet corn, leeks and garlic, season with salt and pepper and saute 10 minutes, until leeks are tender. Place mixture in a bowl and set aside.

Melt remaining butter in extra virgin olive oil in the skillet, then add shallots and saute two minutes, until they start to turn tender. Add rice and stir one minute. Add wine, then stir until liquid is nearly absorbed. Add two ladlefuls of chicken broth, then stir constantly until nearly absorbed, then add another two ladlefuls and stir, repeatedly as needed until rice is creamy and al dente. You might not use all the broth.

Remove skillet from heat, then stir in Parmesan cheese and corn and leek mixture. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Makes four servings.

 

 

Summer Sweet Corn Saute

4 tablespoons butter

4 ears sweet corn, kernels sliced from cobs
3 green onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

Salt

Pepper

8 medium-sized basil leaves, chopped

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add sweet corn kernels, green onions and garlic, then season with lots of salt and pepper. Saute four to five minutes, until kernels are crisp-tender. Add chopped basil, stir to combine and serve.

Makes four to six servings.

 

 

 

Fish Tacos With Avocado Sweet Corn Slaw

8 corn tortillas

1-1/2 pounds mahi mahi

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

Pepper

For sauce:

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

Pinch of cayenne pepper

For corn slaw:

4 cups shaved purple cabbage

1 avocado, chopped

1 tomato, seeded and chopped

1-1/2 cups sweet corn kernels

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1/4 cup packed cilantro, chopped

Juice of 1/2 to 1 lemon

Salt

Pepper

Pinch of sugar

Place fish in a large zipper-lock bag, then add lemon juice, oil, garlic salt, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin and pepper. Gently squish to coat fish and place in refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes.

Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl and refrigerate.

Place slaw ingredients in a large bowl, using with the juice from 1/2 lemon to start. Toss to combine. then taste. Add more lemon juice if needed. Set  aside.

Heat a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat, then spray the bottom generously with extra virgin olive oil or nonstick spray. Add half the mahi mahi and saute three to four minutes per side, until cooked through. Transfer to a plate and saute remaining mahi mahi.

Flake fish, then place in the center of corn tortillas. Top with slaw and drizzle with sauce before serving.

Makes four servings.