Tag: sweet corn

  • Local Corn? Native Corn? To Peel or Not to Peel? and Other Corn Questions

    Sweet Corn from local farms is the only kind that we buy around here. Over on Chowhound there has been an interesting "Native Corn" discussion going on all month. This was triggered by the early appearance of sweet corn in the Boston market.

     

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    For our take on the subject, we're updating some information we ran back in 2010. What was true then is even truer today.

    “Knee high by the Fourth of July” is a nice rhyme, but this year some farmers were actually able to bring their golden ears to market by Independence Day.

    Early hybrid corn varieties not only extend the corn season, but also stay sweeter longer
    than the heirloom versions.

     

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    Great Varieties with Great Names
    Ask about the variety of sweet corn a farmer is selling. That way you’ll begin to develop your own "favorites list." Look for these in local markets: Honey & Cream, Silver Queen, Sugar & Butter, Sundance, Sugar Buns, and Early Sunglow.

    And, if you find one with “Mirai” in it’s name, grab it. It’s rare, but Penny says it’s one of the best she’s ever tasted.

     

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    To Tear or Not to Tear
    One Cape Cod farm where we buy corn has a sign that reads, “Sweet corn 50¢ an ear, tear the husk and it’s $2 an ear.”

    You don’t have to tear down the husk and make part of the farmer’s crop unsaleable to buy great sweet corn.

     

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    Look for corn that has moist, dark-brown, almost sticky silk and a husk that doesn’t feel dry. You can feel the kernels by pressing gently on the husk to determine if the ear is fully developed and plump.

    Corn should not be peeled down until just before you’re ready to drop it into a steaming cook pot.

     

    Do you have a sweet corn question? If so add your sweet corn thoughts or questions in the comments below. Tweet them to @BostonZest or send us an email. We'll talk to our favorite farmers and try to get an answer.

    Related Links:

    Cooking Sweet Corn: Microwave, Grilling, and Elote!
    Penny’s Corn & Potato Salad


    Penny’s weapon of choice for working with corn is her favorite Shun Santoku Knife. But, if you like gadgets, they make a lot of them for sweet corn.

       

    Details:
    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2010 – 2015 Penny Cherubino

     

  • Cooking Sweet Corn: Microwave, Grilling, and Elote!

    If you’re still tossing your sweet corn into a pot of boiling water, you may want to consider the alternatives. 

     

    PMC_5828 - Version 32012-08-01-sweet-corn-elote-grilled-cheese-chopsticks-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    For years, I’ve been steaming our corn. I want all that flavor on our plates not tossed away in the cooking water! But recently, I saw an America’s Test Kitchen video on how to microwave corn “in the husk” that results in perfectly silk-free ears on the plate

    When I told friends, they laughed because most of them had been microwaving corn for years. (As you can see, I don’t think microwave when it comes to cooking.) But most of them had also been husking the corn before they cooked it, so they did find the video helpful.

    Grilled Corn & Elote

    If the resident grill master is making supper, you can toss the corn (husk and all) right on the grill and get some of that lovely pop-corney caramelization going. We don’t have a safe grill space so I used a combo method to make the elote in the photo.

    Elote is a favorite Mexican street food that has been showing up in Boston restaurants. A very popular version is served at Toro in the South End. There, it’s called “Maiz Asado con Alioli y queso Cotija.”

    To make my version, I microwaved the corn for 2 minutes an ear (following the method in the video) and then popped the cleaned ears into a cast iron skillet to give them some color. I cut the ears in half for easier eating and stuck each half with a wooden chopstick.

    PMC_5828 - Version 22012-08-01-sweet-corn-elote-grilled-cheese-chopsticks-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Then come the toppings. Around here, most places seem to slather the corn in mayonnaise and then season. But in different Mexican cultural regions you might use butter, sour cream, crema, or citrus juice to moisten the ear.

    Once you have a wet surface, you can add a Mexican cheese like crumbly Cotija Anejo, or substitute your favorite grated cheddar, Parmigiano-Reggiano, or a nice salty feta. Seasoning is the final step and that can include anything from salt to chili powder. I love a bit of smoky ancho chili powder on mine! Lime wedges, served on the side, are traditional.

    If you’re having a party, you might set up all the toppings, salad-bar style, pass the cooked corn to your guests, and let them create their own version of elote.

    What’s on your Summer Fun shopping list? Shop Amazon Everything You Need for Summer Fun and support this site!

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

    Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers’ comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

    Enhanced by Zemanta
  • Cooking Sweet Corn: Microwave, Grilling, and Elote!

    If you’re still tossing your sweet corn into a pot of boiling water, you may want to consider the alternatives. 

     

    PMC_5828 - Version 32012-08-01-sweet-corn-elote-grilled-cheese-chopsticks-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    For years, I’ve been steaming our corn. I want all that flavor on our plates not tossed away in the cooking water! But recently, I saw an America’s Test Kitchen video on how to microwave corn “in the husk” that results in perfectly silk-free ears on the plate

    When I told friends, they laughed because most of them had been microwaving corn for years. (As you can see, I don’t think microwave when it comes to cooking.) But most of them had also been husking the corn before they cooked it, so they did find the video helpful.

    Grilled Corn & Elote

    If the resident grill master is making supper, you can toss the corn (husk and all) right on the grill and get some of that lovely pop-corney caramelization going. We don’t have a safe grill space so I used a combo method to make the elote in the photo.

    Elote is a favorite Mexican street food that has been showing up in Boston restaurants. A very popular version is served at Toro in the South End. There, it’s called “Maiz Asado con Alioli y queso Cotija.”

    To make my version, I microwaved the corn for 2 minutes an ear (following the method in the video) and then popped the cleaned ears into a cast iron skillet to give them some color. I cut the ears in half for easier eating and stuck each half with a wooden chopstick.

    PMC_5828 - Version 22012-08-01-sweet-corn-elote-grilled-cheese-chopsticks-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Then come the toppings. Around here, most places seem to slather the corn in mayonnaise and then season. But in different Mexican cultural regions you might use butter, sour cream, crema, or citrus juice to moisten the ear.

    Once you have a wet surface, you can add a Mexican cheese like crumbly Cotija Anejo, or substitute your favorite grated cheddar, Parmigiano-Reggiano, or a nice salty feta. Seasoning is the final step and that can include anything from salt to chili powder. I love a bit of smoky ancho chili powder on mine! Lime wedges, served on the side, are traditional.

    If you’re having a party, you might set up all the toppings, salad-bar style, pass the cooked corn to your guests, and let them create their own version of elote.

    What’s on your Summer Fun shopping list? Shop Amazon Everything You Need for Summer Fun and support this site!

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

    Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers’ comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

    Enhanced by Zemanta
  • Cooking Sweet Corn: Microwave, Grilling, and Elote!

    If you’re still tossing your sweet corn into a pot of boiling water, you may want to consider the alternatives. 

     

    PMC_5828 - Version 32012-08-01-sweet-corn-elote-grilled-cheese-chopsticks-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    For years, I’ve been steaming our corn. I want all that flavor on our plates not tossed away in the cooking water! But recently, I saw an America’s Test Kitchen video on how to microwave corn “in the husk” that results in perfectly silk-free ears on the plate

    When I told friends, they laughed because most of them had been microwaving corn for years. (As you can see, I don’t think microwave when it comes to cooking.) But most of them had also been husking the corn before they cooked it, so they did find the video helpful.

    Grilled Corn & Elote

    If the resident grill master is making supper, you can toss the corn (husk and all) right on the grill and get some of that lovely pop-corney caramelization going. We don’t have a safe grill space so I used a combo method to make the elote in the photo.

    Elote is a favorite Mexican street food that has been showing up in Boston restaurants. A very popular version is served at Toro in the South End. There, it’s called “Maiz Asado con Alioli y queso Cotija.”

    To make my version, I microwaved the corn for 2 minutes an ear (following the method in the video) and then popped the cleaned ears into a cast iron skillet to give them some color. I cut the ears in half for easier eating and stuck each half with a wooden chopstick.

    PMC_5828 - Version 22012-08-01-sweet-corn-elote-grilled-cheese-chopsticks-© 2011 Penny Cherubino

    Then come the toppings. Around here, most places seem to slather the corn in mayonnaise and then season. But in different Mexican cultural regions you might use butter, sour cream, crema, or citrus juice to moisten the ear.

    Once you have a wet surface, you can add a Mexican cheese like crumbly Cotija Anejo, or substitute your favorite grated cheddar, Parmigiano-Reggiano, or a nice salty feta. Seasoning is the final step and that can include anything from salt to chili powder. I love a bit of smoky ancho chili powder on mine! Lime wedges, served on the side, are traditional.

    If you’re having a party, you might set up all the toppings, salad-bar style, pass the cooked corn to your guests, and let them create their own version of elote.

    What’s on your Summer Fun shopping list? Shop Amazon Everything You Need for Summer Fun and support this site!

    Details:

    Words: Penny & Ed Cherubino
    Photography: © 2012 Penny & Ed Cherubino  

    Note on Comments: We monitor comments constantly and anything that is pure spam, inappropriate, or nasty is swept away. In addition to readers’ comments, we welcome hearing from the people, places, and services we cover. Often, those add great insights for our readers. As long as it doesn’t become a pure ad, we’d love to hear from you. We do reserve the right to edit ads and links out of comments.

    Enhanced by Zemanta