Summer Corn Recipes!

Summer corn just keeps the summer party going! Now some people have strong feelings about white vs yellow vs bi-color. But I will never turn down an ear of locally grown corn, no matter the color. I suppose I gravitate towards bi-color, best of both worlds in my mind and it’s pretty, but I truly don’t care what color it is. I only care that one of our wonderful farmers grew it. 

As far as cooking it, I like every way you can think of. I’ll share a trick I learned from famous chef Jose Andres for quick and easy cooking. Cut off the tip and the end so that you see the cob. If there are a lot of husks, remove two or three. Put each ear of corn with its husks intact in the microwave for 2 ½ to 3 minutes per ear (less time if you have more than two ears). Check for doneness then let sit for 5 minutes on a plate. Peel back the husks and the silks will come off easily. Serve as you like.  This trick is fabulous if it’s raining and you can’t get to the grill or you just want corn in a hurry. The way the silks come off so easily and how fast and simple this method is is what sold me. 

Corn is good for you too! It has lots of fiber, Vitamins  A, C  and Lutein for eye health.  Here’s a detailed article with more information from Johns Hopkins.

Last week I talked about my love for the peach and corn flavor combination. Some other great flavor pairings for corn are: peppers, potatoes, onions, zucchini, shrimp, crab, lobster, beef, mushrooms, pasta, cheese, and so much more. One of my favorite ways to eat corn is to cut it off the cob and saute it in butter and olive oil with an onion and top it with cheese for serving. And the cheese I use depends on my mood. I use anything from Parmesan to cheddar, Feta and the classic Cotija. 

This week I’m sharing tons of recipes! First, a Zucchini Summer Corn Pasta from Food and Wine Magazine.  I can’t wait to make this one! Next, a Mexican Street Corn Salad from Love and Lemons. And finally, a collection of recipes from Food & Wine Magazine that includes an amazing Shrimp, Corn and Tomato Chowder recipe ( I REALLY can’t wait to make this one!)  as well as a Whipped Corn Dip, among many other delicious recipes to try. 

Don’t forget to freeze your corn cobs so you can use them in soups this Fall and Winter. They give such a delicious flavor. And if you’re like me, you’ll be buying extra corn to start preserving the harvest by cutting the corn off the cob and freezing the corn for Thanksgiving and winter.