Summer and corn go hand-in-hand, but when it’s 100 degrees outside, who really wants to boil a giant kettle of water or fire up the grill every time a hankering for that crunchy sweetness strikes?
A microwave oven is the fastest and easiest way to prepare corn, and it delivers remarkably fresh and flavorful results every time.
Microwaves have a gotten a bad rap over the years, but there are significant benefits to using them for many vegetables. Some of the nutrients in veggies break down when exposed to intense heat, or can leach out into water when boiled. A microwave’s quick, gentle and relatively dry cooking environment can help retain more of a vegetable’s nutritional value — not to mention give you more perfectly cooked results.
Microwaving corn couldn’t be easier.
For starters, leave the ears of corn in their husks, which will help retain moisture and let the corn gently steam while cooking. Wrap the ears of corn in a damp kitchen towel and place them on a plate. If you’re only cooking an ear or two, three minutes on high power will do the trick. Add a minute for three or four ears. Cook the corn in batches if you need to prepare more than four ears.
Note: every microwave is a little bit different, so you may find you need to add or subtract time depending on how well you like your corn cooked.
When the time is up, let the corn rest on the counter, still swaddled in its towel, until you can handle it without burning your fingers. You’ll find the husks and silks both very easy to remove, and the kernels inside will still be plump and full of juice, unlike the shriveled and withered kernels that can easily happen by accidentally overcooking in a pot of water or on a grill.
By cooking the ears first, the individual kernels will be easier to cut off more-or-less intact and retain more of their sweet nectar. You can then give them a quick sear in a skillet for a batch of Mexican street corn (esquites), chill them for use in a summery corn salad or nearly any other application calling for whole corn kernels.
Plenty of other vegetables are a breeze to cook in a microwave. Here are a few of the best candidates.
Broccoli: Place 8 ounces of florets in a bowl with 3 tablespoons of water, cover the bowl with a plate and cook on high for two to three minutes.
Carrots: Place 8 ounces sliced carrots in a bowl with 2 tablespoons of water, cover with a plate and cook on high for three minutes.
Frozen peas: Place 8 ounces of peas in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of water. Cover with a paper towel and cook on high for three to four minutes.
Potatoes: For a fast baked potato, prick a potato several times with a fork. Cook it on high for 5 minutes, flip it over and cook an additional three to five minutes.
Zucchini: Place 8 ounces of cut zucchini in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of water, cover with a plate and cook on high for three to four minutes.
There is an easy, tried-and-true way to strip all those kernels off the cob, as well, and it involves a Bundt pan.
Whether the ears are raw or cooked, place the tip of the ear in the small hole in the center of the pan. Now, carefully run a sharp knife down the cob. The pan will tidily collect all the kernels, unlike the stray bits of corn that get shot off into the darkest corners of the kitchen when slicing over a cutting board.
pstephen@express-news.net | Twitter: @pjbites | Instagram: @pjstephen
June 28, 2021 at 10:30PM
https://ift.tt/3gYrYLc
The best way to cook corn this summer is in your microwave - San Antonio Express-News
https://ift.tt/3gguREe
Corn
No comments:
Post a Comment