An Earful About Sweet Corn

Corn comes in five varieties. There’s popcorn, the oldest cultivated variety, and flint corn, the favored variety of the North American Indian and still the favorite in Africa. Both are high in protein, and their hard hulls don’t allow moisture to escape, so when they are heated, the starch expands and bursts the hull.

Dent corn, used mainly as animal feed, was the American Indian symbol of female fertility. It’s starchy and sweet. Flour corn, low in protein and soft, is rarely seen outside Central and South America, where it is prized because it is so easily ground.

Sweet corn is the most prized variety for eating, and summer is its best season. The early ripening crop has been in the market for weeks now, just in time for picnics and barbecues.

The sweetest corn is picked when still young. Its store of sugar begins turning to starch the moment it’s picked, so ideally, if you can’t grow it yourself, you want to buy fresh corn at a farm stand or at a local growers’ market. I try to buy the white variety; the least starchy and most tender.

It’s helpful to test an ear of corn before buying it. The corn will tell you how it wants to be cooked. Nibble a single kernel. If there’s little or no starch, the corn will taste sweet, and the corn “milk” will not coat the tongue. This corn is delicious raw in salads or cooked for barely a minute in boiling water mixed with milk and a touch of sugar.

The time-honored prescription of boiling or steaming for three minutes is good advice if the corn is slightly starchy. It also helps to leave the innermost layer of husk on the corn. This is true of the freshest corn and corn that is slightly starchy. If your corn has very yellow kernels and is full of starch, choose another cooking method, such as grilling.

Grilled corn on the cob, if you’ve never tried it, is wonderful. There are many schools of thought on this method. Some people soak ears of corn in water and grill in the husk. This, in effect, steams the corn. You might as well roast it in the oven.

I prefer the flavor that the burnt husk imparts to the corn when it’s not soaked. Place ears of corn directly over a hot fire and cook on all sides until well charred, 10 to 12 minutes total. By far my favorite method is to place husked ears directly on the grill. The starch makes the corn creamy in texture and the sugar takes on a caramel-like tinge of flavor. With a lot of butter and a bit of salt, you’ll be in food heaven.

BOILED CORN ON THE COB (30 MINUTES OR LESS)

4 ears white corn

2 cups milk

1 tablespoon sugar

Water

Salt

Butter, at room temperature

Husk corn, leaving most of tender layer of husk next to kernels.

Place milk and sugar in pot large enough to hold corn and add enough water to fill pot halfway. Cover and bring to simmer.

Add corn and cook, covered, 1 to 3 minutes, depending on freshness of corn. Drain immediately. Turn back husk to form handle. Serve immediately, accompanied with salt to taste and butter.

4 servings. Each serving with 1 tablespoon butter:

252 calories; 339 mg sodium; 40 mg cholesterol; 15 grams fat; 26 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams protein; 0.63 gram fiber.

GRILLED CORN SALAD

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon finely minced garlic

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/3 cup virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 red onion, finely sliced from tip to stem

1/2 cup cooked lima beans

2 red bell peppers

3 ears corn, husks removed

2 bunches arugula, patted dry, lower stems removed

Combine mustard, garlic and vinegar in small bowl and mix until smooth. Slowly beat in oil with fork or small whisk, few drops at time, until incorporated. Add salt and pepper.

Transfer to salad bowl and add onion and cooked lima beans.

Place peppers on hot grill over white coals and cook on all sides until scorched and tender, but not mushy. When peppers are cool enough to handle, halve from tip to stem and remove and discard stem and seeds. Slice into strips and add to bowl.

Grill corn until kernels are lightly golden, 2 to 4 minutes. (Note: Kernels directly touching grate will be darker.) Turn corn and grill on other side, 2 to 3 more minutes. Remove kernels from ears and add to bowl.

When ready to serve, add arugula to salad bowl and toss all ingredients well. Serve immediately.

4 to 5 servings. Each of 5 servings:

212 calories; 393 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 15 grams fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 0.86 gram fiber.

CORN CHOWDER (30 MINUTES OR LESS)

2 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 cup coarsely diced onions

3/4 cup coarsely diced carrots

3/4 cup coarsely diced celery

2 tablespoons flour

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

3 ears corn, shucked (about 3 cups kernels), with cobs reserved

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Salt

Freshly ground pepper

Heat oil in pan over low heat. Add onions, carrots and celery and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in flour and cook 2 minutes longer.

Add broth and reserved corn cobs. Increase heat to high and bring to boil. Immediately reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.

Stir in corn kernels and cream. Add rosemary and nutmeg and simmer, covered, 3 minutes. Remove and discard cobs. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer soup to food processor and pulse until coarsely pureed. Serve piping hot or chilled. Garnish each bowl with pinch of fresh rosemary.

4 to 5 servings. Each of 5 servings:

259 calories; 584 mg sodium; 33 mg cholesterol; 16 grams fat; 26 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein; 1.28 grams fiber.