Cuckoo for Corn: Fresh Talk

No Comments | Written on August 16, 2012 at 5:00 pm, by Cheryl Sternman Rule

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Getting corn stuck in your teeth is a small price to pay for the seasonal pleasure of zipping through butter-slathered, salt-sprinkled ears row by delicious row. Just tuck some dental floss in your pocket, and you’ll be good to go.

Just as August means bushels of corn, there’s a veritable bounty of ways to enjoy this sweet summer staple, everything from Jalapeno Corn Chowder and a rich and cheesy Corn Pudding to Grilled Steak with Fresh Corn Salad and this unusual Roasted Sweet Corn with Coconut.

Corn cakes are so good you should enjoy them twice, once with these Corn Cakes with Fresh Corn and Chives and again paired with cod in the Corn and Cod Cakes from one of my favorite cookbooks, Almost Meatless by Joy Manning and Tara Mataraza Desmond.

Feeding a crowd? Opt for this Big Couscous Potluck Salad with Corn, Feta and Herbs. Feeding yourself? Go for Corn on the Cob with Smoky Lime Butter.

Selecting: At the market, you’ll find yellow corn, white corn and hybrid varieties. Whichever type you favor, look for fresh, plump ears. Some vendors don’t mind if you ease back the husks to examine the corn before buying. (I do it.)

Prepping: Corn can be grilled, boiled, scraped from the cob and sautéed in a bit of butter or olive oil, or even microwaved in its husk. (Use great caution and an oven mitt when removing from the microwave.) When cutting from the cob, set your cutting board inside a rimmed baking sheet so loose kernels don’t venture far. Tools exist to help you remove the silks and kernels, but their usefulness varies. A bit of patience will serve you well.

Storing: Keep corn refrigerated, in its husk, until ready to cook and eat.

Nutrition Benefits: According to Diana Cullum-Dugan, RD, LDN, “Corn boasts 10 percent of your daily need of folate, thiamine and niacin.”

Corn is also rich in vitamin C. Adds Cullum-Dugan,“Its perfect blend of soluble and insoluble fiber reduces cholesterol and promotes gastrointestinal health. And, as a bonus, pop it! Once dried, it’s a whole grain. One cup of air-popped popcorn is a 30-calorie snack.”

Now those are some ears worth nibbling.