Summertime is ripe for sweet corn
Few things say summer better than sweet corn.
Fresh off the grill or right out of a boiling pot of water, there is nothing like that first bite of juicy, buttery corn on the cob.
Valley residents are so obsessed with corn that they stand in line for hours waiting to buy Fresno State’s famous white and yellow corn. As soon as it’s trucked in, it’s carried out by the store’s loyal corn customers. And whether you buy corn from Fresno State or somewhere else, chefs and home cooks say the possibilities of how to enjoy it are endless.
Homecook and English teacher Erin Fujinami Valdon of Clovis looks forward to the arrival of sweet corn every year. She’ll buy it from Fresno State or from her neighborhood grocery store, but never from a can.
“I have a two-year-old that eats left over sweet corn for breakfast, lunch and dinner,” Valdon says.
An avid cook and gardener, Valdon has taken corn preparation beyond boiling in water and dredging it in melted butter. She compliments her sweet corn with bold flavors such as garlic herb butter or Caribbean-spiced butter. Valdon applies the spread on the corn before she grills it. Wrapped in the husk, the seasoning creates an appetizing flavor and aroma.
“You can make whatever butter you want and spread it on a piece of corn,” she says.
Chef Pete Ramirez, owner of the Meltdown Bistro food truck, loves the Mexican style of corn sold by street vendors know as eloteros. The corn man peddles his cart through neighborhoods hawking his sweet and spicy concoction. Traditional ingredients include mayonnaise, cotija cheese, salt, chile powder and lemon or lime.
Ramirez’s version uses most of the same ingredients, but he grills the corn, giving it a smoky flavor. He then removes the kernels from the husk to be served as a salad or side dish. And you can add the toppings of your liking. Ramirez recently made his deconstructed Mexican street corn and sprinkled it with homemade chorizo, cilantro, green onions and roasted salsa.
“It is so good,” he says “It’s Elote man corn on a plate and without it getting stuck in your teeth.”
Ramirez’s street corn has a sweet smokiness with layers of subtle flavors. Each bite delivers a different taste. You get the saltiness of the Mexican cheese, the rich flavor of the chorizo and the refreshing tartness of the lime.
Although some cooks will soak their corn before grilling, Ramirez skips that step. He said the moisture inside the corn will help steam it within the husk.
“The corn will still be very tender and delicious,” he said.
If you prefer to boil the corn, Ramirez recommends dropping it in a large pot of boiling water with a tablespoon of vinegar for about 15 to 20 minutes.
Mitchell and Louise Swank, owners of Hutch’s Gourmet BBQ Sauce, have a sure-fire recipe for grilling corn. They call it bacon-wrapped corn. The Swanks remove the husk and silk from the corn, then they wrap one or two pieces of bacon around the corn. Placing the wrapped corn on a large sheet of foil and add a little crumbled blue cheese, green onion and cilantro. They wrap it all up in foil and place on a medium hot grill for 25 to 30 minutes.
“It is absolutely delicious,” Mitchell Swank says.
The experts at Cooks Country magazine supply recipes for four flavorful spreads, including mustard-paprika butter, rosemary-pepper, cilantro-lime butter and brown sugar-cayenne butter. (See recipes below)
For those looking for an easier way to remove the silk and husk from the cob, follow the advice of Harriet Pollock of Clovis. Cut off a few inches of the ear at the larger end, exposing the kernels but leaving it in the husk. Then microwave it for about 3 minutes.
Then, using a pot holder or kitchen towel, grasp the husk by narrowest end and squeeze. The corn should pop out. If it doesn’t right away, use a knife to gently probe under the husk and then squeeze again. The cob and corn will pop out free of silk and all.
Robert Rodriguez: (559) 441-6327, @FresnoBeeBob
Chili lime sweet corn salad
From First Quality Produce
4 ears of corn, husk & silk removed
2 tablespoons, melted butter
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
In a large pot, bring water to a boil. Boil the corn for 3 minutes, then remove and allow to cool slightly so that they can be handled . Cut the kernels off the cob into a large bowl. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together butter, lime juice, chili powder and chopped cilantro. Pour the lime mixture over the corn and mix to coat. Add the crumbled queso fresco and stir. Season with salt to taste. Serve at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers.
Grilled corn with chipotle-lime butter
From Jessie Price, EatingWell In Season
4 ears fresh corn, husked
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon minced chipotle chile in adobo sauce plus 1/4 teaspoon adobo sauce or 1/4 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Preheat grill to high. Wrap each ear in foil. Place on the grill and cook, turning frequently for 10 minutes. Remove from the grill and let stand in the foil while preparing the butter. Combine butter, lime zest, lime juice, chipotle and adobo sauce, or ground chipotle and salt in a small bowl. Carefully unwrap the corn. Serve with seasoned butter.
Makes 4 servings
Grilled corn with garlic herb or spicy Caribbean spread
By Erin Fujinami Valdon
Pull the husks of each ear of corn back, but leave attached. Remove silk. Soak the corn in water while you prepare the butter spread of your choice. Drain corn well, pat dry, then use a pastry brush to add the butter spread of your choice. Pull husks back over corn and grill on medium heat, turning often to prevent burning. Each spread recipe below is enough for roughly 6-8 ears of corn.
Ingredients (garlic herb spread)
4-6 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 - 2 teaspoon garlic salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, optional
Melt butter, mix in spices, then brush on corn. Sprinkle each ear with parmesan after grilling if desired.
Ingredients (spicy Caribbean spread)
4-6 tablespoons butter
3 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 pinch dried thyme
1/4 cup brown sugar, optional
Melt butter, mix in seasonings and brush onto corn. Sprinkle each ear with brown sugar after grilling if desired.
Deconstructed roasted elote man corn
By Pete Ramirez
2 ears of sweet corn, husks on, silk removed
Juice from half a lime
2 teaspoons of mayonnaise
1 teaspoon sour cream
1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese
1 dash of cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon of cotija cheese
1 tablespoon of chorizo (optional)
A few sprigs of cilantro to garnish
Pull the corn husk back, grill and rotate the corn for about 20 minutes or until it is tender with a nice char on it. Let the corn cool. Remove the corn from the cob. Place kernels in a mixing bowl and toss with sour cream and mayonnaise, lime juice, and a dash of cayenne pepper. Transfer to serving dish and top with fresh parmesan cheese, cilantro, cotija cheese and chorizo.
Husk grilled corn
By Diane Unger, Cooks Country
6 ears corn (unshucked)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
Cut and remove silk protruding from top of each ear of corn. Combine butter, salt, and pepper in bowl. Fold one 14 by 12-inch piece heavy-duty aluminum foil in half to create 7 by 12-inch rectangle; then crimp into boat shape long and wide enough to accommodate 1 ear of corn. Transfer butter mixture to prepared foil boat.
For a charcoal grill: Open bottom vent completely. Light large chimney starter mounded with charcoal briquettes. When top coals are partially covered with ash, pour evenly over half of grill. Set cooking grate in place, cover, and open lid vent completely. Heat grill until hot, about 5 minutes.
For a gas grill: Turn all burners to high, cover, and heat grill until hot, about 15 minutes. Clean and oil grate. Place corn on grill (over coals, with stem ends facing cooler side of grill, for charcoal). Cover and cook, turning corn every 3 minutes, until husks have blackened all over, 12 to 15 minutes.
To check for doneness, carefully peel down small portion of husk. If corn is steaming and bright yellow, it is ready. Transfer corn to -cutting board. Using chef’s knife, cut base from corn. Using dish towel to hold corn, peel away and discard husk and silk with tongs.
Roll each ear of corn in butter mixture to coat lightly and return to grill (over coals for charcoal). Cook, turning as needed to char corn lightly on each side, about 5 minutes total. Remove corn from grill and roll each ear again in butter mixture. Transfer corn to platter. Serve, passing any remaining butter mixture.
(The flavored butter can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to three days; bring it to room temperature before using. Set up a cutting board and knife next to your grill to avoid traveling back and forth between the kitchen and grill.)
Flavored butters:
Brown sugar–cayenne butter
Stir 2 tablespoons packed brown -sugar and ¼ teaspoon cayenne -pepper into butter mixture in step 1.
Cilantro-lime butter
Stir ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro, 2 teaspoons grated lime zest plus 1 tablespoon juice, and 1 minced small garlic clove into butter mixture in step 1.
Mustard-paprika butter
Stir 2 tablespoons spicy brown -mustard and 1 teaspoon smoked -paprika into butter mixture in step 1.
Rosemary-pepper butter
Increase pepper to 1 teaspoon. Stir 1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary and 1 minced small garlic clove into butter mixture in step 1.
This story was originally published June 23, 2015 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Summertime is ripe for sweet corn."