It’s Corn Season, so Let’s Go for It

Fresh corn seems to inexplicably cry out for the addition of some kind of mellowing ingredient. Think of a grilled, lightly charred ear slathered with butter, or a thick corn soup sweetened with plenty of cream.

But why is that? We all know corn doesn’t need it. Fresh corn, all by itself, is so sweet and so creamy it needs very little--or nothing at all.

We looked at salads and soups, even puddings and waffles, and asked, why not do without most of the fat? Why not enjoy the purity of corn flavor, and make it healthy at the same time?

Our garden salad of lightly cooked corn kernels and chopped tomatoes relies on their juices for a natural dressing. Combined with a little tart vinegar, the juices bring out the flavors of the salad, which includes sliced green onions and chopped celery. Most salad dressings depend on heavy oils to temper sharp acidic flavors. But the corn juices have so much substance that this dressing doesn’t need a drop of oil.

And what about a soup without cream? So many corn chowders and soups use it liberally, sending calories and fat rocketing. Our version is based on a corn broth made by simply simmering the cobs in water for about an hour. We did add a touch of butter for a little richness, but that’s it for added fat. Top off each serving with freshly ground pepper and a sprinkle of chopped basil or cilantro leaves. Nothing could taste fresher.

The modern varieties of supersweet corn are so filled with natural sugar that they make an almost fruity addition to a light waffle batter. Our recipe uses low-fat buttermilk and less butter then most. Beaten egg whites--which have no fat or cholesterol--are folded in for added volume and fluffiness. At serving time, skip the maple syrup and butter and try a sprinkle of powdered sugar instead.

Or, if you have fresh strawberries on hand, they’re wonderful with the waffles. Lightly crush half a pint. Stir in about two tablespoons of sugar (or more, depending on the sweetness of the berries). Let them stand about 30 minutes, then serve on top of the warm waffles. And what about waffles for dessert? Fold the warm waffles in half, fill each with a tablespoon of low-fat frozen yogurt and eat immediately.

Corn pudding is, of course, an old-fashioned favorite, but most versions are loaded with butter and cream. Ours calls for egg substitute instead of eggs and low-fat milk rather than cream. There’s just a bit of butter. Still, the texture is voluptuous and deeply satisfying. Because it has so little fat, the top tends not to get brown during baking. So we give the pudding a nudge under the broiler so it browns nicely. And don’t forget the sprinkle of grated fresh nutmeg over the top.

Sure, you probably can’t help but grill and butter a few ears--fresh corn is hard to resist that way too. But with these light recipes, it’s even more appealing.

In the salad photo: plates from Crate & Barrel, napkin from Sur La Table.

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Garden Corn and Tomato Salad

Active Work and Total Preparation Time: 25 minutes * Vegetarian

5 ears corn

2 pounds tomatoes, diced

1 1/2 cups sliced green onions

1 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

Lettuce leaves, for serving

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the corn and cook 3 minutes. Remove the corn from the pot and plunge into cold water to cover.

Drain the corn, then slice the kernels from the cobs: Place each cob, stem end down, on the counter and, with a sharp knife, cut down on the cob. You’ll have about 4 cups of corn.

Combine the corn, tomatoes, green onions, celery and basil in a large bowl. Add the vinegar and salt. Stir to evenly mix the ingredients.

Spoon into a lettuce-lined bowl and serve.

8 servings. Each serving: 97 calories; 743 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol; 1 gram fat; 0 saturated fat; 23 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams protein; 3.07 grams fiber.

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Corn Waffles

Active Work Time: 10 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 45 minutes

Use a four-waffle iron with a nonstick coating.

1 1/2 cups corn kernels

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

2 cups flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

3 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/4 cups low-fat buttermilk

2 egg whites

Nonstick cooking spray or oil, for waffle iron

Powdered sugar, for serving

Cook the corn in the butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat until tender, about 3 minutes.

Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Stir in the buttermilk and corn, along with any remaining butter in the pan, until just blended.

Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl using an electric mixer until stiff but not dry. Fold the egg whites into the batter just until blended.

Spray a waffle iron with nonstick cooking spray or brush with oil, then heat. Pour about 1 1/4 cups batter into the iron. Close the lid and cook until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Remove the waffle from the iron and break into 4 sections. Repeat with remaining batter. Sprinkle the waffles with powdered sugar.

16 waffles. Each waffle: 120 calories; 293 mg sodium; 9 mg cholesterol; 3 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 19 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.73 gram fiber.

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Corn Pudding

Active Work Time: 10 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 55 minutes * Vegetarian

1 tablespoon butter, plus more for preparing pan

1 cup corn kernels

1/4 cup flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup nonfat egg substitute (equivalent to 4 eggs)

2 1/4 cups (1%) milk

Nonstick cooking spray

Freshly grated nutmeg, for garnish

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter an 8-inch-square glass baking dish.

Cook the corn in the butter in a skillet until tender, 5 minutes.

Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. Combine the egg substitute and milk and pour into the well. Stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened and blended in. Stir in the corn, then pour the mixture into the dish. Set the dish in a larger pan of warm water. Bake until set, stirring halfway through, about 40 minutes.

Remove the pudding from the oven. Heat the broiler. Lightly spray the top of the pudding with cooking spray. Place the pudding under a broiler just until the top is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the pudding with a little nutmeg.

6 to 8 servings. Each of 8 servings: 87 calories; 457 mg sodium; 5 mg cholesterol; 2 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 12 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams protein; 0.52 gram fiber.

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Sweet Corn Soup

Active Work Time: 30 minutes * Total Preparation Time: 2 hours * Vegetarian

6 ears corn

8 cups water

1 cup minced onion

2 tablespoons butter

1 1/4 teaspoons salt, or to taste

Freshly ground pepper

Minced basil or cilantro leaves, for garnish

Shuck the corn and remove the silk. To cut the kernels from the cob, place each cob stem end down on the counter and with a sharp knife, cut down on the cob. Set the kernels aside.

Cut or break the cobs in half and place in a 5-quart saucepan. Add the water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer 1 hour. Remove the cobs from the pot and discard. Boil the broth over high heat, reducing it to 4 cups, about 10 minutes. Pour the broth into a bowl and set aside.

Wipe out the saucepan. Cook the onion in the butter until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the corn and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved broth and the salt. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.

Puree half of the soup in a blender and return to the saucepan, stirring to combine until heated through. Spoon the soup into serving bowls and garnish with pepper and either basil or cilantro leaves.

6 servings. Each serving: 142 calories; 790 mg sodium; 10 mg cholesterol; 5 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 25 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 2.91 grams fiber.