Cooking With Corn

It’s September and our garden is finished producing corn, or “maize” if you want to get all technical about it. The problem is I am not finished consuming corn. I love the stuff - on the cob, in a soup, as a muffin; you name it and corn works with it. Frankly, our garden just can’t keep up with our demand.

Thankfully, living in semi-rural northwestern New Jersey, there is no shortage of part-time farmers growing the miraculous maize plant. So, the other day I stopped by “Crazy Cooter’s” to pick-up a few ears of the good stuff. Crazy Cooter’s is the unofficial name of the junkyard / auto repair shop / farmer’s market just down the road from our home. Only in this barely-tolerant-of–the-law corner of the state would a business trifecta like Crazy Cooter’s be permitted to exist, let alone flourish. Yet, we are unaffected by the sight of oil stains and the sound of air compressors in such close proximity to our fresh produce. Where the unexposed suburbanite might frown on this establishment, those of us who have become accustomed to it say, “Bring on the corn, Cooter.”

Here are two ways to feed four people with – dare I say – only three ears of fresh corn, and some other garden goodness.

Pan-Roasted Corn, Cucumber, Tomato and Mozzarella Salad

This Italy-inspired salad is only as good as the ingredients and demands the freshest produce. It is critical to cook the corn as soon as possible. Don’t take it home and store it in the fridge for a day or two. If you are not going to eat the salad the day you pick or buy the corn, then cook the corn immediately and store the cooked corn in the fridge until you are ready to make the salad.

The recipe calls for “Corno di Toro” peppers. And, yes, I am aware that the pepper in question for the corn salad is called “Corno.” Regardless, the Corno di Toro is a long, Italian heirloom pepper that is both sweet and just a little bit spicy. If you are not growing these, you should be. The plants are easy to cultivate and yield much fruit, which we use in just about everything from omelets to salsa. If you are looking for these peppers in the market, you may need to substitute with any mildly spicy variety, such as anaheim or jalapeno.

Ingredients

3 Ears of Sweet Corn

4 Tomatoes (preferably heirloom, such as Brandywine)

2 Cucumbers

2 Corno di Toro Peppers (seeds removed, thinly sliced)

1 Shallot (thinly sliced)

8oz. Fresh Mozzarella Cheese

5-8 Leaves Fresh Basil (thinly sliced)

4T. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1T. Balsamic Vinegar

Black Pepper (freshly cracked)

Salt to taste (sea, grey or kosher)

Procedure

Peel away the cornhusks, which can be discarded or saved to make tamales. One at a time, stand each ear of corn on a cutting board that is covered by a clean dish towel and run your knife along the cob, scraping off the kernels. Rotate the cob, and repeat until all the kernels are removed. Do the same for each ear of corn. Reserve the cobs for another use, like making stock. Gather-up the corn kernels in the towel for easy transport and set-aside.

Place a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 T. of the oil, the thinly sliced shallot and peppers, and all of the corn kernels to the pan. Cook the corn, shallot and pepper for about 5 minutes, stirring often. The corn contains a lot of sugar, and stirring will prevent the sugars from burning. Remove the corn, shallot and peppers from the skillet and spread it out on a sheet pan to cool.

Cut the cucumbers in half, length-wise. This will expose the seeds. Using a teaspoon, scrap the seeds from the cucumbers and discard the seeds. Then, cut the cucumbers into ¼ inch thick half-moons. Slice the mozzarella cheese into similar sized half-moon shapes, as well. Cut the tomatoes into wedges. Slice the basil.

Add the cucumbers, mozzarella, tomatoes, basil, and the cooled corn, shallot and pepper mixture to a large serving bowl. Season with salt and black pepper. Dress with remaining 3 T. of oil and balsamic vinegar.

Serve immediately with fresh crusty bread and a crisp white wine, such as Verdicchio, or a light-bodied red, such as Barbera.

Corn, Potato and Broccoli Soup

This soup is the ultimate “waste not, want not” solution for leftover corncobs and broccoli stems. It relies on the starch in the corncobs and potato for its base and body. The uncooked spinach gives the final product a vibrant green color, and the cilantro and lime emphasize the south-of-the-border roots of both corn and potato.

Ingredients

3 Quarts Spring Water

3 Corn Cobs

1 Russet Potato (peeled and roughly chopped)

3 Broccoli stems (peeled and roughly chopped) or 1 Broccoli crown (roughly chopped)

1 Clove Garlic (minced)

1 Cup Fresh Spinach (chopped)

2 T. Cilantro (chopped)

1 Lime (juice)

White Pepper (freshly cracked)

Salt to taste (sea, grey or kosher)

Procedure

In a stockpot, combine the water, corncobs, potato, broccoli and garlic. Add 4 heavy pinches of salt. Bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let cook for about 30 minutes, or until the potato and broccoli are soft. Remove from the heat and let cool.

When the soup has cooled, remove the corncobs and discard. Add the spinach, cilantro and limejuice. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Pass the soup through a sieve for a more refined texture, if desired.

This soup can be served cold in a glass with a twist of lime as a hot-weather faux-aperitif. But, we prefer it served warm in a bowl with a dollop of sour cream, alongside cornbread and a lager-style beer.