Corn, a Summer Classic

from Yadkin Valley Magazine July-August 2022

by Yadkin Valley Magazine

Business Section

Carmen Long

WRITER & PHOTOS Carmen Long

Family and Consumer Agent N.C. Cooperative Extension Surry & Alleghany county centers.

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Corn A Summer Classic

Nothing says summer like fresh sweet corn. A family favorite for many, corn is so versatile. Corn can be grilled, roasted, steamed, boiled, microwaved and eaten straight off the cob or cut off and used in countless recipes.

Lengthy family discussions have occurred about the “right way” to eat corn on the cob. Side to side or around—which best describes you? No matter how you eat it, just enjoy it. Follow these tips to make sure your corn is delicious.

Shopping Tips: Cool is key in keeping corn fresh after it is picked. As corn warms up, the sugar in the kernels turns to starch so it won’t be as sweet. Ideally, corn should be picked the morning it is purchased. If you are shopping at your local farmer’s market, shop early in the day and select corn displayed in the shade or on ice for best quality and flavor. At the grocery store, select corn displayed in a refrigerated bin. Take an ice chest when you shop to keep the corn cold until you get home.

The husks on fresh corn will be green and tight. Pull back a piece of the husk to make sure the kernels fill the ear but are smaller at the end. Large kernels at the end may mean the corn is over ripe. Milky juice should come from a kernel when you break it with your fingernail. The silk on fresh corn is a light golden color, moist and soft.

Storage: If corn is still in the husk, leave it that way to keep it moist. If it has already been husked, store the corn in a perforated plastic bag. Keep refrigerated to help prevent sugar loss. Cook corn sooner rather than later after it is picked for optimum flavor. If you have more than you can use within a couple of days, cook the corn for two minutes to stop the sugar from turning in to starch. Cool and refrigerate. Drop the ears into boiling water and finish cooking when you are ready to eat.

Preserving: Corn is one vegetable I like to freeze if there is enough space in the freezer. The processing time for canning corn is so long, that often the color is brown and not very appetizing if it is canned safely. In our area, whole kernel corn must be processed for 55 minutes for pints and 85 minutes for quarts at 11 pounds of pressure in a dial gauge canner and at 15 pounds of pressure in a weighted gauge.

For more information on canning corn, please call Cooperative Extension at 336-401-8025 or go to the National Center for Home Food Preservation at http://nchfp.uga.edu/index.html

Freezing corn is much quicker. The instructions from the National Center for Home Food preservation are as follows: Preparation: Select only tender, freshly-gathered corn in the milk stage. Husk and trim the ears, remove silks and wash.

Corn-on-the-cob: Water blanch small ears (1 1/4-inches or less in diameter) 7 minutes, medium ears (1 1/4 to 1 1/2-inches in diameter) 9 minutes and large ears (over 1 1/2-inches in diameter) 11 minutes. Cool promptly and completely to prevent a "cobby" taste. Drain and package. Seal and freeze.

Whole Kernel Corn: Water blanch 4 minutes. Cool promptly, drain and cut from cob. Cut kernels from cob about 2/3 the depth of the kernels. Package, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Seal and freeze.

Cream Style Corn: Water blanch 4 minutes. Cool promptly and drain. Cut kernel tips and scrape cobs with the back of a knife to remove the juice and the heart of the kernel. Package, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Seal and freeze. Another way to prepare cream style corn for freezing is to cut and scrape the corn from the cob without blanching.

Place cut corn in a double boiler; heat with constant stirring for about 10 minutes or until it thickens; allow to cool by placing the pan in ice water. Package in moisture-vapor resistant containers, leaving 1/2-inch headspace. Seal and freeze.

Avocado Salad This is a colorful and tasty salad that is especially good during summer months. It is easy to prepare and only has a few, simple ingredients. For variation, add chopped onions, black beans, and/or red pepper according to taste preference. Serves 4

1 ear corn on the cob, husk and silk removed 2 ripe avocados, peeled and chopped into small pieces 1 large tomato, chopped into small pieces 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice (adjust to taste) 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste) 1/2 teaspoon black pepper (adjust to taste) Paprika

Cook corn on the cob in microwave for 2 minutes. Remove and allow to cool for 3 to 5 minutes. Cut corn off of the cob; collect the kernels in a bowl. Mix corn kernels, avocado, tomato in a big bowl. Toss with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Chill in refrigerator for 10 to 20 minutes. Sprinkle with paprika. Serve cold.

Sources: So Easy to Preserve, The Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition http://medinsteadofmeds.com

Summer Green Bean Salad This is one of the best salads to make when the corn is really fresh. The easiest way to cook just a few ears of corn is in the microwave. Cut off one end, microwave for 4 minutes, remove with hot pad–shake the corn out of the husk. (Tip: All of the silks should remain in the husk while cooking and you have perfectly cooked corn.) Even though the basil will get a little dark, this salad gets better the next day.

Serves 6 1 pound (approximately 3 cups) green beans, washed, trimmed 1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half 2 ears corn, cooked; cut off the cob 4 ounces (approximately 1/3 cup) ricotta salata or feta, shredded finely or crumbled 3 Tablespoons sherry vinegar 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 4 Tablespoons olive oil 1 cup packed basil leaves, cut into thin ribbons (chiffonade) Salt to taste

Cook beans in salted water until just done, do not overcook. Chill well (approximately 15 to 30 minutes). In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, corn and green beans. Add cheese to the vegetable mixture. Make vinaigrette: Combine vinegar & mustard. Then add oil in a thin stream while beating. Add dressing to the vegetable mixture. Top with the basil. Salt to taste.