Sweet Corn Recipes

OK, let’s all just say it at the same time: Summer has ended! Or not?

Why not? Well, apparently the sweet corn has no clue that we will not be at the lake eating four and five cobs at a time on the weekend. (Maybe I just do that; no… I think I’m not alone on this one.) I have had such wonderful corn the last two weeks it makes me stupid! I hate to give it up.

So my plan is to eat corn every night until I absolutely cannot stand it. It is going to take a lot for that to happen. Even when I went to work today, there was a bag or two of corn just waiting to be eaten. I am also going to admit that I have to have real buttar (I meant to spell it that way) just dripping off the cob, too. I don’t use those fancy cob holders either. I want it to be messy. See what I mean about it making me stupid!

I thought it would be great to try some fun recipes. I plan on taking the corn off the cob and making something with fresh corn… what a concept. I have not done this before (off the cob, I mean); it’s usually frozen. But it is so good that whatever I can make out of it, I am going to try. Of course, corn chowder is the first that came to my mind, then corn salsa and lastly, I found a corn custard. Let me know if you try these too.

Corn Custard

Ingredients:
11/2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup honey
6 ears fresh corn, husks and silk removed
6 large eggs
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, optional
1/3 cup grated yellow onion

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 2-quart souffle dish with the butter and set aside.

Bring 3 quarts of water and the honey to a boil over high heat in a large pot. Add the corn, and cook for 3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat. Use tongs to carefully remove the corn from the water and transfer to a medium bowl. Let rest until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, milk, pepper, salt, nutmeg and cayenne. One at a time, hold the corn in 1 hand and stand it on end so that it is perpendicular to the cutting board.

Hold a large chef’s knife in the other hand and with a downward motion, cut the kernels from the cob. Turn the cob with every cut so that you get all of the kernels. Scrape the corn cobs with the back side of your chef’s knife-this will release more of the milk from the cob. Add any accumulated juices to the cut kernels. Discard the cobs.

Add the corn kernels and onions to the egg mixture, stirring well to combine. Pour into the prepared baking dish. Bake until firm in the center and golden brown on top, about 1 hour and 30 to 1 hour and 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot.

Corn Chowder

Ingredients:
8 ounces bacon, chopped
1/4 cup good olive oil
6 cups chopped yellow onions (4 large onions)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
12 cups chicken stock
6 cups medium-diced white boiling potatoes, unpeeled (2 pounds)
10 cups corn kernels, fresh (10 ears) or frozen (3 pounds)
2 cups half-and-half
8 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

In a large stockpot over medium-high heat, cook the bacon and olive oil until the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and butter to the fat, and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent.

Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, and turmeric and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and potatoes, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. If using fresh corn, cut the kernels off the cob and blanch them for 3 minutes in boiling salted water. Drain. (If using frozen corn you can skip this step.) Add the corn to the soup, then add the half-and-half and cheddar. Cook for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is melted. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve hot with a garnish of bacon.

Roasted Corn Salsa with Tequila-Lime Dressing

Ingredients:
5 medium ears yellow corn, silk removed, husk intact.
5 teaspoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise, preferably homemade
2 tablespoons tequila
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup diced green onions
1/2 Serrano pepper, finely chopped (seeds included)
1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1 avocado, sliced, for garnish
Tortilla chips, for garnish

Preheat a grill to medium-high.

Soak corn in water for 5 minutes, drain and pat dry.

Lightly rub each ear of corn with 1 teaspoon of the oil and place the corn directly on the grill. Grill the corn, turning occasionally, until the kernels are lightly browned on all sides, about 20 minutes. Remove and set aside until cool. When the ears have cooled, cut the kernels from the cobs and transfer to a mixing bowl.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, tequila, lime juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Pour the mayonnaise-tequila dressing over the cooled corn kernels. Stir in the green onions, diced serrano pepper, red bell pepper, and cilantro. Adjust seasonings, as needed. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

Place corn salsa in a serving bowl, garnish with avocado slices, and serve with tortilla chips.

Until next week, eat well and stay safe.

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