Corn is one of those quintessential summer eats! Boil it, grill it, on the cob, off the cob, popcorn - corn is a favorite. Did you know corn is not actually a veggie though? It's a grain! Corn is one of the staple cereal grains. While it does end up in a lot of processed food, corn by itself is fairly nutritious. It contains some sugar, but remains a healthy option to eat due to its low glycemic index. Corn has B vitamins such as Folate and Niacin and the essential nutrient Potassium too. This week we are sharing storage and cooking tips as well as our weekly preserving recipe. Hint: Don't throw the cobs out! They make delicious stock you can use in our chowder recipe or in any other soups. Send us a picture of your creation so we can share it! Have fun!
Storing and Cooking Corn
Look for corn in husks. The husks should be green and tight, and not brown or dried out. It’s not vital to pull them back at the store. Corn doesn't need to be in exact rows to taste right. It’s more important that it is eaten within 2-3 days of purchase for more sweetness. Corn should be stored in a plastic bag in the fridge with husks on. When ready to cook, pull husks off. When the husks come off, the corn can dry out faster. Our preferred method for cooking corn is shucking it and then boiling it in very salty water for 5 minutes. If you want that barbecue char, throw it on the grill for 2 minutes each side. You can just shuck it and grill it, but it does lose a bit of its juiciness. Grill for 5 minutes each side if you do not boil it. Butter and salt are classic toppings, but consider these other ideas: parmesan or cotija cheese, lime, chili powder, bacon, cheese, cilantro, basil, or Sriracha.
Corn Salad
Combine the following ingredients in a large bowl:
3 cups grilled corn
1 ½ cups halved cherry tomatoes
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 red or orange bell peppers, chopped
1 large avocado, chopped
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
3-4 oz crumbled feta (optional)
¼ cup chopped cilantro
Dress salad right before serving after mixing these together:
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 limes, juiced
½ tsp. cumin
½ tsp. garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Corn Chowder
· 4 thick slices bacon, chopped in one inch pieces before cooking
· 1 1/2 lbs. chopped yellow or lemon squash in one inch pieces– about 3 medium squash
· 1 cup sliced green onions, divided into white and green parts
· 1 Tbsp flour
· 3 cloves garlic, minced
· 1 1/2 tsp chopped fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried)
· 1 tsp salt, then more to taste
· ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper, then more to taste if desired
· 2 cups veggie or chicken stock (or corn cob stock- recipe follows this one)
· 5 cups fresh cut corn (roughly 6 ears corn)
· ½ - 1 cup half and half or heavy cream
1. Cook bacon pieces until crisp in soup pot over medium-high heat. Remove cooked bacon from pot onto paper towel. Leave 1 tablespoon of bacon fat in pot and safely discard the rest.
2. Over medium heat sauté the squash and white part of onions. After about 5 minutes, the squash should be a little tender. Add the flour, garlic, salt and thyme. Cook until fragrant and then add stock and corn. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Using an immersion blender, puree soup for 30 seconds to 1 minute or until desired consistency. If you like it smoother, puree longer.
4. Add in half and half or cream slowly and cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Serve with bacon and rest of green onion on top of each serving.
Corn Cob Stock
4 kernel-free corncobs
5-6 stems of cilantro, parsley, basil or thyme.
4 cloves of garlic, peeled and smashed
2 stalks of celery
½ sweet onion
10 cups of water
Salt and pepper (optional)
Place all ingredients in a pot and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 2 hours. Drain ingredients and reserve stock by putting in the fridge for a couple days or freezing for up to 4 months. Use in risotto, chicken noodle soup, other soups and stews.
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