When pals ask about my favourite meals, my reply modifications with the season. In August, the reply is corn, and I get pleasure from it as typically as doable in any kind.
Considered one of summer time’s best pleasures is grilled corn. Because it seems, there are two methods to grill corn: out and in of the husk.
To cook dinner corn within the husk, first do your greatest to extract the silk from entire ears, taking care to maintain the husk intact. After a soak in cool water, the ears may be roasted over a gasoline or charcoal grill, turning typically till the husks are fantastically charred, about half-hour. The inside will style of smoke and sweetness. Make sure you roast at the least two per visitor — no person will eat only one.
Grilling shucked ears provides char on to the kernels and takes a mere quarter-hour on the grill. That is my most well-liked methodology when sprinkling the kernels over salads or including them to sautés and stir-fries.
However the joys of corn don’t need to be restricted to late summer time. You can also make frozen corn (grilled or uncooked) to get pleasure from after the season ends by freezing corn kernels in a shallow layer on a baking sheet till the corn is stable. Then spoon it into freezer luggage or containers and freeze for as much as 4 months. A median-size ear of corn yields about 1 cup of corn kernels, so plan your freezing accordingly.
If you happen to’re new to having fun with contemporary ears of corn off the cob, it’s vital to know the way to minimize the kernels off the cob safely. First, stand the cob up in a big bowl holding it on the prime with one hand. Beginning on the prime, use a pointy knife to chop the kernels from the cob, working your approach down. Flip the cob and repeat the chopping till the cob is clear.
What to do with all that corn? You possibly can cook dinner it in a skillet — corn and bacon pair as completely as peanut butter and jelly. Add ripe tomatoes and plenty of basil for a skillet stuffed with goodness that pleases nearly everybody. Serve it over lettuce leaves as a aspect dish to grilled fish, hen or skewered shrimp. You can too stir in sautéed chunks of tofu or feta to show this right into a major dish.
In one other traditional combo, I really like corn and lima beans in a summery succotash. Right here, the corn will get grilled together with candy onion and tender napa cabbage. Shelled edamame makes a extra up to date model of the old-time dish, however we don’t go up lima beans after we can discover child limas within the freezer case. Crumbled contemporary cheese or a drizzle of heavy cream enriches the dish.
Candy corn ice cream all the time brings again reminiscences of a household trip in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. We ordered it sprinkled with sizzling chile and lime. The stunning mixture is as addicting because the candy and salty duo of cheese popcorn and caramel corn, making this one of many issues each foodie ought to have on their summer time bucket checklist.
BACON, BASIL AND TOMATO SKILLET CORN
Prep 20 minutes
Prepare dinner 20 minutes
Makes 4 cups (about 6 servings)
Substances:
4 thick slices (8 ounces whole) smoky bacon, minimize crosswise into ¼ inch items
2 shallots or 1 small white onion, finely chopped
1 massive poblano chile, seeded, chopped
1 massive or 2 small cloves garlic, finely minced
3 cups contemporary or grilled corn kernels
1 pint ripe cherry tomatoes, halved or 2 to three cups massive chunks ripe tomatoes
½ teaspoon coarse (kosher) salt
¼ teaspoon freshly floor black pepper
1 cup loosely packed thinly sliced contemporary basil leaves, about 1 ¼ ounces
Instructions:
Step 1: In a big, well-seasoned cast-iron or nonstick skillet over medium warmth, cook dinner 8 ounces sliced bacon, stirring typically, till bacon is crisp and golden, about 10 minutes. Take away bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate. Tip off (and save for an additional use) all however 2 tablespoons of the rendered fats from the pan.
Step 2: Add 2 chopped shallots and 1 seeded, chopped poblano to the pan. Prepare dinner over medium warmth, stirring typically till comfortable, about 4 minutes.
Step 3: Stir in 2 cloves minced garlic and cook dinner for 1 minute. Stir in 3 cups corn kernels. Prepare dinner, stirring typically, about 3 minutes, then stir in 1 pint halved cherry tomatoes. Prepare dinner till every little thing may be very sizzling, about 2 minutes.
Step 4: Season with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper, or to style. Take away from warmth and stir in crisp bacon. Fold in 1 cup sliced basil. Serve straight away.
WARM GRILLED CORN AND EDAMAME SUCCOTASH SALAD
Prep 25 minutes
Prepare dinner quarter-hour
Makes 6 cups, serving 6
Substances:
2 ears corn on the cob, shucked, rinsed
1 massive candy onion, peeled, sliced crosswise into 3 sections
2 thick wedges Napa or inexperienced cabbage, about 6 ounces whole
1/3 cup olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1/2 teaspoon coarse (kosher) salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame or lima beans
2 small limes
1 teaspoon candy paprika
1/2 teaspoon floor cumin
1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese or ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup thinly sliced contemporary chives or inexperienced onion tops
Step 1: Put together a charcoal grill or preheat a gasoline grill till medium sizzling.
Step 2: Put 2 ears of corn, onion sections and cabbage wedges on a baking sheet. Drizzle all sides with some oil and sprinkle with salt. Place greens straight on the grill over the warmth. Grill, sometimes turning till properly golden on all sides, about quarter-hour. Switch to a chopping board. Let cool.
Step 3: In the meantime, cook dinner 1 1/2 cups edamame in a small pot of boiling salted water till crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Drain.
Step 4: Grate rind from 2 limes into a big bowl. Then squeeze juice from limes into the bowl. Stir in 1/3 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon cumin and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a big bowl. Add heat edamame to dressing in a bowl.
Step 5: Use a pointy knife to take away corn kernels from cobs and add to the dressing. Chop grilled onion and cabbage and add to the dressing. Combine nicely. Add 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco or 1/4 cup heavy cream. Serve at room temperature sprinkled with 1/4 cup chives.
SWEET CORN AND MAPLE ICE CREAM
Prep quarter-hour
Prepare dinner 10 minutes
Chill A number of hours
Makes 1 ½ quarts
This wealthy, candy ice cream tastes like the most effective cornbread topped with maple syrup. For a enjoyable salt and salty twist, sprinkle on somewhat chile lime seasoning.
Notice: The trick to nice ice cream texture is to completely chill the bottom earlier than placing it into the ice cream machine. Don’t skip the straining of the bottom by the sieve; it’ll take away the corn kernel skins.
Substances:
3 cups contemporary uncooked corn kernels
1 cup entire milk
2 cups heavy whipping cream
½ cup sugar
½ cup pure maple syrup
½ teaspoon salt
4 massive egg yolks
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Contemporary black raspberries or blackberries for serving
Chile lime seasoning or Tajin Basic Chile Lime seasoning, non-obligatory for serving
Instructions:
Step 1: Puree 1 1/2 cups corn kernels with 1/2 cup entire milk in a blender till very clean. Switch to a deep, heavy saucepan. Repeat with remaining 1 1/2 cups corn and 1/2 cup milk.
Step 2: Stir 2 cups heavy whipping cream, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup maple syrup and 1/2 teaspoon salt into the corn combination. Warmth over medium warmth till simmering.
Step 3: In the meantime, set a big bowl over a bigger bowl of ice. Place a mesh sieve within the massive bowl.
Step 4: Whisk 4 egg yolks in a small bowl.
Step 5: Slowly ladle 1 cup of the heated corn combination into the egg yolks to warmth them gently. Then, whisk the egg yolk combination again into the simmering corn combination and cook dinner on very low warmth simply till thickened, 2 or 3 minutes. Don’t boil.
Step 6: Instantly pour the combination by the sieve into the bowl set over the ice. Whisk to chill the combination and cease the cooking. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Refrigerate the corn combination till very chilly or as much as 2 days.
Step 7: Pour the chilly corn combination into your ice cream maker and freeze in response to the producer’s instructions. Scoop right into a container. Cowl and freeze stable for at the least 1 hour.
Step 8: Serve small scoops of the ice cream topped with berries. If desired, shake somewhat chili-lime seasoning over the ice cream.
