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Give Me Your Ears - Corn on the Cob

written by Susan Buchananfor Venus Rising Magazine

Leo 08 Issue

Watercolor by Philip GaligaSummer’s bounty is overwhelming with ripe fruits and vegetables. Not only are the flavors of seasonal foods, such as beans, corn, and tomatoes at their best, but the nutritional value of these summer edible icons exceeds any other time of the year. Abundance, flavor, and nutrition are perfect reasons to eat fresh garden fare, but sometimes we would be hard pressed to say that those reasons trump plain old nostalgia. Remember shucking corn on the back porch and then typing your way through the buttery sweet cob? The taste was remarkable!

In the United States, corn on the cob has a long tradition as the quintessential summer side dish. Corn, in and of itself however, predates our modern civilization by about 7000 years. Thought to originate in Mexico via its precursor, a grass called teosinte, corn is human dependent, in that without our planting and nurturing it, corn would not exist naturally in the wild. Originally cultivated in Mexico and Central America, ancient corn's appearance was very different from today’s corn on the cob. Ancient maize, as it was called by Europeans and Indian corn as it was dubbed by pilgrims, had kernels spaced far apart, each covered in its own husk. Over centuries and by the time the Americas were “discovered,” corn, as we know it, was widespread throughout North and South America and had become the basic food of most native cultures including the Incas, Mayans, and Aztecs. 

Today, corn is the second most planted grain in the world, after rice. Its most common use is as animal feed. Corn is also the base of many products for direct human consumption, including bourbon, cornmeal and corn flour, oil, corn syrup, and corn starch. Corn and its byproducts are used in an astonishing number of other things too, including plastics, fabrics, and fuel, just to name a few. Humans started their love affair with fresh corn on the cob in the mid-1800s. Later that decade, horticulturists developed sweeter varieties, making corn a top crop for summer gardens. Sweet corn is of three types: white, yellow, and butter and sugar. Yellow corn is popular in the Midwest with its large, plump, bright yellow kernels. White corn has a hold in the Mid-Atlantic States with its small pearly white kernels that span a long cob. Silver Queen is the most common white corn and when fresh, its kernels pop in your mouth. Butter and sugar corn is a speckled mix of creamy white and pale yellow kernels and is the kind you’ll find in New England.

Different preferences also come to bear when cooking corn on the cob. Most people have their own tried and true method of cooking their beloved corn. Some swear by the five minute rule, some say ten. Some cooks don’t “boil” the corn at all but steam it in about an inch of water. Whatever your preferred timing, the method is the same…shuck the corn, remove its silk and add the ears to boiling water. A good rule of thumb is the smaller and younger the corn, the less time to cook and visa versa. Another favorite method of cooking corn is roasting. Roasted corn is cooked without removing the husk. The silk is often removed but the husk is not. The ears are put directly into or over a fire. The corn steams inside its husk, sometimes finishing with a few grill marks here and there. To prevent burning of the husks, soak the entire ear in water before roasting. In Mexico roasted corn is a common street food, served with salt and lime.

Nothing beats plain-cooked corn on the cob, whether you like it with salt and butter or without. Another way to coat your cob, making it zesty and rich is to lightly brush the cooked corn with a mixture of chili powder and mayonnaise, then roll it in finely grated dry cheese,  such as Asaigo or Manchego…delicious and soul-friendly but not what one would call heart friendly.

There is plenty to do with corn that has been removed from the cob. Cutting off the kernels is relatively easy. Stand an ear on its flat end inside a wide mixing bowl or shallow baking dish. Carefully cut the kernels off the cob moving from pointed to flat end. Don’t cut too deep. Instead, cut what you can, then use the dull side of the knife to run down the cob and catch the heart of the kernel and the flavorful juices. If you are into gadgets, there is a gadget or two for this process. Try a corn zipper or an old fashioned kernel corn cutter with its round mouth of teeth and long handles.

There is no shortage of gadgets for easier corn on the cob eating. Try the corn cob butterer, a push-up like holder of a single stick of butter, so you can rub on the butter like you are using a big piece of chalk. More useful is the corn brush – merely a small brush to remove the tiny strings of silk that didn’t go away with the husk. Those who prefer the no-mess method of eating corn on the cob will want a set of corncob holders. These are the things of collections…anything can be made for the end of the two prong fork that holds your cob….the obvious ear of corn, but also animals, miniature characters, or your favorite mascot…the possibilities are endless.

Also endless is the array of dishes to which fresh cut corn makes a delicious addition. Try corn off the cob on salads, in vegetable soups, and in burritos. Scramble eggs with corn and fill a flour tortilla, dashing it all with salsa and cheese. At this time of year, make corn the centerpiece of a salad. A simple combination of corn and grape tomatoes with a splash of olive oil and a touch of salt and pepper is the essence of the summer garden. Or, try chopped grilled zucchini and corn salad. A bulgur pilaf with corn, chopped green beans, herbs and feta is a versatile side dish at a backyard BBQ. Fresh corn kernels should also be tried in your own cornbread, blueberry corn muffins, or corn and cheddar biscuits. Finally, don’t forget dessert! Corn, believe it or not, makes a rich delicious ice cream. Cook the kernels and the scraped cob with the ice cream mixture, strain and run through your ice cream maker.

Corn and Green Bean Salad

2 ears corn on the cob

½ lb. green beans, trimmed

2 Tbsp. fresh basil

2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt

Fresh ground black pepper

Cook corn until it is just tender, about 6 minutes. Remove ears from water and set aside to cool. Add beans to boiling water and cook until heated through and still crunchy, about 3 minutes. Drain and run under cold water. Cut beans into 1 inch pieces and cut corn off cob. Toss the veggies together and add basil by snipping it into short ribbons with kitchen sheers. Drizzle oil and vinegar over the salad. Add salt and pepper to taste and mix well. Chill and serve.

Corn off the Cob Ice Cream

(makes a pint)

1 cup whipping cream

1 cup whole milk

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 ear of corn

Cut corn off the cob and scrape any bits and juices from the cob into a bowl. Cut the cob in half. Beat eggs and milk in a medium sauce pan. Add the corn, its juices, and the cob. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened, about 7 minutes. Mixture should coat a spoon. Cool and stir in cream. Remove cobs and strain through a fine mesh strainer. Chill the cream mixture for a couple of hours or overnight. Process in an ice cream processor.

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