The global food economy has created a year-round availability of sweet corn, with ears plucked in February in Florida and as early as May in Delaware find their way to upstate New York grocery stores. True sweet corn lovers, however, are able to rein in their desires for tiny, sugary parcels of corn kernels until late July, just before the calendar flips into August. The taste of the season’s first true ear is a treasured occurrence that makes waiting 11 long months to once again enjoy locally grown sweet corn worth it in the eyes of many.
Roadside stands dotted throughout the region offer ears of sweet corn by the dozens for less than five bucks and grocery stores haul in enormous cardboard bins to be filled with corn, sometimes including a sign to indicate the point of origin on that day’s batch. Corn is plentiful and rewarding for those who can wait for summer’s hottest days to enjoy it, and devouring an ear that has been boiled, buttered and salted means enjoying the crop in its most pure form. There is more to corn than just nibbling its niblets off the cob, row after row like a typewriter’s return carriage, and knowing how to select, store and cook corn brings the bounty to an elevated level of pleasure.
How to choose sweet corn
The temptation to test the readiness of corn by pulling back on the husk and parting the silk like one parts curtains to peek at backyard grandeur is real, but it serves no purpose. The coloring on a corn kernel is no indication of how sweet it is. From nearly translucent white to rich canary yellow, corn has been bred and hybridized enough times to eliminate any judgement of taste and sweetness by coloring.
The best way to know if an ear of corn is prime for eating is to keep the husk on and give it a gentle squeeze with no more pressure that you would use in picking a perfectly ripe peach. The kernels should feel plump and give under the gentle weight of your thumb but should not pop. If an ear of corn feels mealy or hard as you feel it under the husk, it has likely been picked too soon (hard), too late (mealy and crumbly) or has been stored for too long after picking and has dried out.
How to store sweet corn
Corn will be sweetest when it is just-picked, as the sugars in the corn begin to synthesize into starch after harvest. Starch molecules are longer than sugar molecules, resulting in “tough” ears of corn that are less sweet and tender. Look for corn from roadside farm stands that is available soon after harvest and remember that the bi-colored Peaches and Cream variety that you loved last week might have peaked and made way for the perennial late-season classic Silver Queen variety.
When you get it home, corn should be eaten as soon as possible or otherwise kept in the refrigerator with the husk still on to prevent the kernels from losing moisture and drying out. Corn is typically good in the refrigerator for a week before it starts its demise into compost fodder.
Purchasing corn en masse from a local farmer not only helps turn a profit on the grower’s efforts but is also a smart, economical way to save a taste of summer for colder days. Kernels can be cut from the cob using a sharp chef’s knife while the cob is held vertically and perpendicular to a cutting board. Gently saw the kernels off, keeping the knife’s blade as close to the cob as possible, until all kernels are removed. (The spine, or back edge of the knife opposite the sharp edge, can be used to scrape the creamy sugars and starches or stubborn still-attached pieces of corn from the cob.) Corn kernels should be laid in a single layer on a rimmed cookie sheet and frozen until they appear icy, then poured into a zip-top bag for storage in the freezer for up to six months.
Two hacks for keeping corn kernels for bouncing around your counters and kitchen floor: place a clean kitchen towel in a bowl and place the ear vertically in the bowl while cutting, allowing the towel to soften the blow of the springy kernels from hitting the bowl and bouncing out; or, place the narrow end of the ear in the center of a Bundt pan and let the kernels fall away as they are cut from the cob.
How to cook sweet corn
Corn is quick-cooking in boiling water: bring a large pot of water to a boil while you remove the husks and silks (as best you can) from each ear of corn. (The water should fill the pot halfway.) Once boiling, add a generous pinch of salt to the water and add the ears of corn all at once, being sure not to overcrowd the ears. Keep the heat on high to maintain a boil on the water and cook the corn for three minutes. Remove from the water and drain.
Steaming is another popular method for sweet corn. A few inches of water in a large pot with a lid is enough to create steam for ears of corn without leaching their sweetness into water, with or without the husks still attached, for 10 minutes. A large pot of boiling water can be dumped into a large cooler before ears of corn with their husks still attached follow. Add the lid to the cooler securely and go back to cooking a steak on the grill, and set a timer. By the time your steak is cooked (10-12 minutes, longer if there is more corn in the cooler) the corn will be ready to accompany. Allow each eater to dehusk their own corn.
Grilling corn imparts a smokey flavor and can also be done with or without the husk. Should you choose to grill with the husk removed, use medium to low heat (or indirect heat) and turn every minute or two for blackened carbon marks to evenly speckle each ear. The husks can be pulled back to the stem-end of the cob without being removed to allow grillers and eaters to grasp the corn while cooking or eating it.
Don’t forget the cobs
The cob is more useful than just as a core to keep corn kernels together. Throw your corn cobs in a cooling oven or on a grill that’s been turned off but is still hot, or simply leave them in the sun to dry out, then use them as fire starters for your next bonfire. You can also grip a corn cob with tongs and use it to scrub stuck-on bits from grill grates. Corn stock is a rich addition to chowders, savory puddings and risottos when they are placed in a pot with a few bay leaves and covered with water to simmer for two hours. (Strain the liquid into freezer-safe ontainers and use months down the line.) The same idea applies to corn cob jelly, which mimics the sweet, floral qualities of wildflower honey and can be used in homemade barbecue sauce, on cheese boards or to top corn fritters.
Deanna Fox is a food and agriculture journalist. @DeannaNFox, www.foxonfood.com
Pickled Corn Relish
Makes about 3 cups
- 1 cup sweet corn kernels
- 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper
- 1 cup diced red onion
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
- 2 cups apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, optional
Place all ingredients in a pot and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then once boiling, reduce heat to medium and simmer until the liquid is reduced to a syrupy coating over all the vegetables. Allow to cool. Serve for over grilled sausages and hot dogs, on chicken, fish or steak or to sprinkle over a chopped salad.
Corn Fritters
Makes 4 servings
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (more to taste)
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup milk (more if needed, a tablespoon at a time)
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
- 4 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
- Vegetable oil, for frying
In a bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cayenne pepper with a whisk. Add the eggs and milk and whisk to combine. (Add more milk if the batter seems too thick.) Stir in the thyme leaves and corn.
In a large skillet or Dutch oven, warm 1 inch of vegetable oil of medium-high heat. Once hot (when a drop of water splatters into the oil), drop rounded spoonfuls of the batter into the oil. Cook on one side until golden brown, then flip and cook on the other side. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Work in batches to avoid overcrowding. Allow to cool slightly, then serve immediately with remoulade. (Recipe follows.)
Easy Remoulade
Makes about 1 cup
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon ketchup
- 3 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish
- 3 teaspoons sweet relish
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- Kosher salt and fresh black pepper, to taste
Whisk together all ingredients and season to taste with kosher salt and pepper. Serve immediately or allow to sit in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Street Corn-Style Salad
Makes 2 servings
- 4 cups sweet corn kernels
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 cup diced red onion
- 1/2 cup diced bell pepper
- 3 tablespoons diced jalapeno pepper, seeds and ribs removed (use more or less, to taste)
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup scallion, whites and greens sliced thin
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise, or more to taste
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more, to taste)
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta or cotija cheese
- 1 avocado, peeled and diced (optional)
In a large heavy skillet (like cast iron), blister the corn kernels by placing them in the dry skillet and cooking over medium-high heat until the corn starts to pop and blacken, about 7 minutes. Add the olive oil, red onion, bell pepper and jalapeno pepper and cook for about 5 more minutes, until the onion and peppers soften. Reduce heat to medium and add the garlic and scallions until the garlic is just fragrant, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
Meanwhile, combine the mayonnaise, kosher salt, lime juice and zest, paprika, cayenne pepper, cilantro and cheese in a large bowl. Add in the corn mixture and stir well. Fold in the avocado, if using. Serve warm or place in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, covered. (If using avocado, do not add until just before serving so it does not oxidize and turn brown.)
Sweet Corn and Blueberry Cake
Makes 1 cake, serves 6 generously
Note: This cake is light like a sponge cake, with the little surprise of juicy corn kernels and blueberries studded throughout. The top of the cake becomes crunchy, almost like a strudel or a classic blueberry buckle, and the interior is a swirling tie-dye of yellow and blue thanks to the juice of the berries. Instead of blueberries, try marbling dollops of raspberry or blackberry jam into the batter once it is in the pan. Serve with a generous portion of rich vanilla ice cream.
- 1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2/3 cup white sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sweet corn kernels
- 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen)
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x9-inch baking dish and set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cornbread mix, baking powder, sugar and salt. In a separate bowl, combine the vanilla extract, egg and milk, then pour it all into the dry ingredient bowl and stir until just combined. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, corn and blueberries and toss together until flour coats the corn and berries. Fold the berries and corn into the batter, then pour into the prepared baking dish.
Bake for 45 minutes or until the cake springs back with gentle pressure from your finger and has pulled away from the sides of the pan slightly. Allow to cool slightly before slicing and serving.
Deanna Fox is a food and agriculture journalist. foxonfood.com, @DeannaNFox
July 28, 2020 at 11:52PM
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Sweet corn 101: How to pick, store and cook it - Albany Times Union
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