Food Topic: Corn ll

Corn is a great summer treat.

Store un-husked corn 3 or 4 days maximum in the veggie crisper drawer in the ‘frig.

3 ears of corn will yield about 1 cup of cut kernels.

Try adding corn to your favorite soups, tossed salads and marinated veggie salads.

Instead of using butter and salt on your corn, try fresh herbs, light dressings, and fresh lemon or lime juice.

The following ideas for cooking corn came from a discussion I had over lunch with a couple of friends about different ways everyone liked to cook their corn:

-To grill it with the husk on- peel the husks down and remove the silk. Pull the husks back over the ear; soak for at least 10 minutes in cold water. Before placing on the grill sprinkle fresh minced herbs like oregano or chives, salt and pepper over the ear and recover with the husk. Grill over medium heat10-15 minutes. Unwrap the husks from the corn and spread with butter and a squeeze of fresh lime juice.

-Another way to grill with the husk on- throw the whole un-husked ear onto medium heat and cook 10-15 minutes. The husk and the silk easily pull away from the ear with the husks. Proceed to season your corn your favorite way.

-To grill w/o the husk on- remove husks and silk on throw on medium heat grill basting with butter or garlic olive oil for 6 minutes, turning occasionally.

-Campfire cooking: leave ears in husks and wrap in foil and throw into the ashes of your campfire for 5-10 minutes, depending on how hot the ashes are. Unwrap foil, remove husks and the silk easily pulls away from the ear with the husks. Season and enjoy.

-Cooking corn on the cob on top of the stove: be sure there is enough water to completely cover the corn, and that the water is at a good rolling boil before adding the corn. Never add salt, as this toughens the corn. Instead, add a teaspoon or two of sugar. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes and serve.

-Microwave cooking: 2 minutes per ear in the husk, no need to remove silk ahead of time

Southwest Salad
Serves 8 as a side

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
2 c fresh corn kernels (can be raw)
1/2 tsp minced fresh garlic (1 clove)
1/2 chopped red onion

1/2-3/4 c Red and Yellow Pepper Vinaigrette

1 T minced fresh cilantro

Toss ingredients together and serve chilled or at room temperature.