Corn, corn, corn: Tricks and treats

Photo credit: Yulia Naumenko/ Getty Images

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Hello! Hello!

When Michael and I got back to Connecticut from Paris, we unpacked our bags and stocked the fridge. And then we headed to our local farm stand for fresh corn. Corn came into season while we were away and so we missed the excitement of turning up and seeing those first ears. We missed having corn every which way just about every day. But we’ve been making up for those cornless weeks ever since.

Most of the time we just eat the corn off the cob. Sometimes, if Michael’s got the grill going (he's the griller in the family), I’ll cook the ears on it, but these days, I’m most likely to hand the ears to him and let him do what our daughter-in-law Linling calls the corn trick. The ears go into the microwave oven - if they're too long to fit, cut the bottoms a bit - four ears take about 5 minutes. When the timer goes ding, Michael cuts the ears again – this time slicing off enough so that the kernels are exposed. Then he grabs the tops of the corn (you should use a dishtowel even if Michael doesn’t!!) and, holding tight, pushes and squeezes until the perfectly cooked ears shimmy out of their husks.

We never stopped loving straight-up corn-on-the-cob, but there’s so much to do with corn-off-the-cob – or even just the cobs. I keep a pile of cut-up cobs in the freezer and toss them into the pot when I’m making a summer vegetable soup, like pistou, or a corn chowder.

Fresh-off-the-cob corn chowder recipe from Everyday Dorie. Photo by Ellen Silverman

Cutting the kernels off the cobs is messy – scream if you’ve got a neat way – so just relax.

Put a small bowl upside down in a larger one. Husk the ear, getting the kernels as free of silk as you can, then slice the bottom of the cob – you want a solid base for this little operation.

Balancing the cob on a bowl within a bowl

Have a sturdy chef’s knife at the ready. Get a secure grip on the top of the corn and steady the base of the corn on the upturned small bowl. Now start cutting – begin at the top of the corn and slice down, getting as close to the cob as you can to release the kernels. Be careful not to hit the blade against the rim of the bowl – it’s not good for the knife. I usually lift the bottom of the cob up when I get to it, so that I can cut the last inch or so of corn above the bowl. Inevitably, there’ll be run-away kernels, but most of them should land in the big bowl.

If you’re making a dish that will benefit from corn juice, scrape the back of the knife against the cobs to squish it out.

The other night, taking my lead from my colleague Sam Sifton's book, New York Times Cooking No-Recipe Recipes, I made my own no-recipe recipe: Corn-Off-the-Cob and Scallops. It was the kind of dish that could have gone a million ways and been delicious in any version. So here’s a sketch of the recipe. If you riff on it, you know I want to know.

For the corn, sauté a chopped small onion (it could be a shallot) in a little olive oil (or bacon fat, if you've got it) – I used a large skillet - and then turn the kernels into the skillet, up the heat and cook until they’re charred here and there. When they have some color, pour in a little water (or broth) and sauté/poach the corn. Taste for doneness – you might need a tad more liquid, but however much you add, cook it away.
Spoon the corn into a wide serving bowl, season generously with salt, coarsely ground pepper and maybe some chile flakes, then dress lightly with vinaigrette. If you prefer, you can just moisten with more olive oil and a splash of vinegar or a squeeze of lemon or lime juice. Fold in whatever you’d like: chopped red pepper, hot pepper, lots of sliced scallions, chopped tomatoes or halved small tomatoes, a handful of roughly chopped or torn herbs.

That night I lined the bowl with some salad greens dressed with vinaigrette before adding the corn.

For the scallops, make sure to pat them dry. Heat a large skillet (I’ve got a nonstick that I like for this) and brush the bottom with olive or canola oil. Place the scallops in the skillet – don’t crowd them – and cook, without moving them, until they’re golden brown on the bottom and opaque almost to the middle. Brush their tops with oil and turn them over to brown the other side and finish cooking the interiors. Some of the scallops might stick – I hate that! – so just get under them with your metal spatula, curse the sauté witches, flip and carry on.

Arrange the scallops over the corn and season with salt and pepper. I had some pesto in the fridge, so I brushed the scallops with it just before serving – nice!

More corn talk on Friday – see you then.

xoxo Dorie

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Corn, corn, corn: Tricks and treats

Dorie Greenspan

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