When the sweet corn starts coming in, that's when you know summer has well and truly arrived. Those ears are so fresh and sweet that you can taste the sunshine in each bite. Add a pat of butter, and there's no resisting. How do you like your sweet corn?
Sweet corn is one of those vegetables that's really best when it's in season, which is generally July through late-September. Off-season corn tends to taste starchy and mealy instead of sweet and ripe.
Pick ears of corn the look really fresh. The leaves around the cob should be pale green and slightly damp, never dried out. The tassel should look silky and feel soft. If you peel back just enough of the husk to see the kernels, those kernels should look plump and glossy. Don't worry about a stray worm or two, though corn that has clearly been chewed should be avoided.
You can theoretically store corn for several days refrigerated in the husk, but they will gradually lose their sweetness and begin to taste starchy even when cooked. Corn connoisseurs will tell you that sweet corn should be eaten the day its picked, preferably within hours, while the corn is at its sugary peak. With any corn you can't eat right away, it's best to slice off the kernels and freeze them for using in soups or salads.
To husk corn, grab all the tassels and a few of the outer leaves with one hand and pull firmly downward. This will open the corn like a zipper and take most of the persnickety corn silks with it. From there, peel back the rest of the leaves and pinch away any remaining silks. If boiling or steaming, snap the leaves off. If grilling, leave the leaves attached; you can rub the kernels with butter or herbs before cooking and then fold the leaves back over the cob.
And yes, you can certainly eat your sweet corn raw! This is where ultra-fresh corn is really what you want. I like raw corn best when the kernels are cut from the cob and tossed into a salad, though eating them by the spoonful isn't a bad way to go.
Ready for some summer corn action? Here are our favorite recipes:
• Corn on the Cob: Three Ways to Cook Sweet Corn
• 5 Ways to Liven Up Corn on the Cob
• How to Make Elote - Roasted Sweet Corn
• Corn and Zucchini Salad with Chives
• Potatoes, Green Beans, and Corn with Brown Butter Lemon Dressing
• Empanadas with Corn
• Caramelized Corn with Tomatoes and Bacon
What are your favorite recipes with summer sweet corn?
Related: An Unavoidable Surprise in Organic Corn: Worms!
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Barely heated and with or without butter. Its so good-I don't need anything else on it.
Sweet Jersey Corn. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.
Preferred prep is either boiled or grilled.
Boil water, drop in husked corn for no more than 3 minutes, serve. It's fantastic.
For grilling, we soak it, husks and all, in water for 2+ hours prior, then grill it, husks and all, on the grill for 15-20 minutes.
Alternately, we'll husk it and let it get slightly charred before serving.
Sometimes, you get lucky and don't need butter, but if you do, it's still oh-so-delicious.
It's delicious no matter how it's prepared, but last summer I tried grilling the corn, w/ husks on (soaking is not necessary - there are plenty of online instructions for grilling) and once it was ready, I seasoned the cob with butter, a little salt, lime juice & chili powder. Yum. Easy too.
I just husk it and pop it on the grill, no soaking. Easy-peasey. And I always make extra so I can use the kernels in salads.
My husband introduced me to the butter-soy sauce combination. It sounded gross to me but it is anything but! I love it! But just rubbed with a wedge of lime is awfully grand, too.
As for when it's not fresh on the cob: two years ago I got into fresh corn pancakes; last summer's big discovery was corn in eggs; this weekend I'm making corn risotto.
I love fresh corn for my version of succotash: saute 3 cups of cut corn kernels & 2 cups of cut green beans, 1/2 c chopped shallots or sweet onion, with 2 Tb butter. Season with salt and pepper. No lima beans, I have a lima bean hater in the household.
I love sweet corn in any shape, but just slightly grilled with a touch of butter and salt is my favorite. That being said, please be aware that the majority of sweet corn in stores this year is GMO corn, with the pesticide actually genetically bred into the corn. There's lots of discussion about just how safe this really is for people (of course the company that makes it says it's fine, most other sources say otherwise), so when you pick up corn it would be wise to buy it organic. Scary stuff. And, even worse, unlabeled.
Mexican Corn Salad. A great side for grilling. http://therunawayspoon.com/blog/2011/07/mexican-corn-salad/
One of my favorite meals ever was served to me just after my daughter was born (she'll be nine in July - just during the peak of sweet corn season). My mom was staying with us and one afternoon I got up from a nap to find that "Granny" had gone to the market and brought back some sweet corn. She boiled it up, served it with some butter and a side of ice-cold cottage cheese. That was it. That was lunch. We ate outside in the shade of a tree while my little bitty napped on a blanket. Best. Lunch. Ever.
It's our go-to for camping. Throw them in a plastic bag in the lake (husk on) and let them soak. Wait until the fire has burned down to ember and chuck the corn in. Flip them a few times throughout cooking. You'll know they're ready when the skin starts to get black and the corn inside has started to caramelize. Delicious.
When it's in season, it's almost perfect on its own as soon as its picked. Another favorite way to prepare is to saute some sweet onion and bell pepper in butter for a few minutes until translucent, then add freshly cut corn kernels, salt, pepper and cumin and just heat until the corn is plumped. If you like, a little cilantro can be added at the last minute. SO GOOD.