Sweet corn produces fritters, soup, tostadas and cakes

Roasted Tomato and Corn Tostadas
Roasted Tomato and Corn Tostadas

Sweet corn is a highlight of summer.

photo

Food styling/KELLY BRANT

Grilled Corn and Cheddar Soup is rich and luscious with sweet bursts of corn, creamy potato and smoky bacon.

Preparing fresh corn isn’t easy. You peel back layer after layer of papery husk, only to find yourself wrestling with sticky, hairlike strands of corn silks. But once you’ve done the work, no matter your preferred cooking method - boiled, grilled, seared or roasted - each bite of fresh sweet corn is a tiny burst of sweet sunshine in your mouth.

It’s one food of summer that doesn’t

adhere to her lazy nature. To make the best of fresh sweet corn you’ve got to act quickly. To avoid starchy disappointment, cook it and eat it the same day you buy it. If you buy more than you’ll eat within a day or two, the best thing to do is shuck the corn and then blanch it, cool it and freeze it, either on the cob or off.

To blanch corn, bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Add the corn and cook 3 to 5 minutes, then transfer corn to an ice and water bath to stop the cooking. Drain well, then transfer to freezer bags and freeze until ready to use.

For off-the-cob, blanch and cool as directed, then, using a sharp knife, cut kernels from cobs and transfer kernels to freezer bags or containers.

But don’t throw out the cobs. Corncobs add depth and flavor to soups and chowders. To be able to enjoy that richness year round, make stock from spent cobs.

How to make corn stock: Using a ratio of 2 quarts water per 4 corncobs, place cobs in a large stockpot and add the water, making sure it covers the cobs. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, covered, for 1 hour. Remove cobs and discard them. Divide and transfer the liquid to freezer-safe containers and freeze for up to 1 year. Use in place of water, chicken stock or vegetable stock in soup and stew recipes.

Frozen corn, whether from your freezer or the supermarket, will work just as well in any of the following recipes. For kernel corn, on average, one medium ear yields about ¾ cup kernels. One 10-ounce package of frozen corn yields about 2½ cups.

And in a pinch, canned whole kernel corn can be used as well.

Sweet Corn Fritters With Tomato Salsa

2 ripe tomatoes, peeled and roughly chopped

2 green onions, finely chopped, white and green parts separated, divided use

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided use

2 tablespoons olive oil

Dash hot sauce

Salt and ground black pepper

2 large ears fresh corn OR about 2 cups corn kernels

¾ cup self-rising flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 eggs

¼ cup milk

1 teaspoon smoked paprika OR sweet paprika

1 red chile pepper, seeded and minced

2 tablespoons vegetable oil plus more as needed

In a food processor or blender, combine the tomatoes, the green onion tops, 2 tablespoons of the cilantro, the olive oil and hot sauce and pulse to blend. Mixture should be somewhat chunky. Season to taste with salt, pepper; set aside.

If using fresh corn, remove husks and silks and cut kernels from cob using a sharp knife.

Bring a pot of water to a boil.

Add corn kernels and boil 3 minutes. Drain. Rinse under cool water and drain again; set aside.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.

In a spouted measuring cup, whisk together the eggs and milk. Gradually whisk eggs into flour to make a thick batter. Add corn, paprika, the white parts of the green onion, the remaining cilantro and the chile pepper.

Mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy skillet. Fry tablespoons of the corn batter in the hot oil. Use the back of a spoon to spread the batter slightly. Fry, turning once, until golden brown on both sides and puffy. Fry in batches, adding oil to the skillet as necessary, until all of the corn mixture is cooked.

Serve immediately with tomato salsa.

Makes about 4 servings.

Recipe adapted from Vegetables Please by Carolyn Humphries

Grilled Corn and Cheddar Soup

3 ears fresh corn, husks removed

5 slices bacon, cut into ½ -inch pieces

2 tablespoons olive oil, or as needed

1 onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

4 cups vegetable OR chicken stock

1 large or 2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and diced

¾ cup heavy cream

6 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

2 teaspoons kosher salt

Ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, green onions or flat leaf parsley

Prepare grill for medium-high heat OR heat a rigid grill pan over high heat.

Grill corn, turning occasionally, until lightly charred and the kernels soften slightly, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool.

When corn is cool enough to handle, using a sharp knife, cut kernels from cob, scraping the cob to release its juices; set aside.

In a Dutch oven or soup pot, cook bacon over medium heat until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain on paper towels. To the bacon drippings in the pan, add the olive oil.

Saute the onion in the olive oil and bacon drippings until translucent, about 6 minutes.

Sprinkle the flour over the onion and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

Add the stock, potatoes, corn kernels, corncobs (if using fresh corn) and juice and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 12 to 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Remove and discard cobs. Reserve about 1 cup of the mixture. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup in the pot to the desired consistency.

Stir in cream and cheese and continue cooking just until cheese melts. Do not boil. Stir in reserved mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with bacon and chives.

Makes about 6 servings.

Recipe adapted from The Dinnertime Survival Cookbook by Debra Ponzek with Mary Goodbody

Ricotta Corn Cakes

2 ears fresh corn OR about 1 ½ cups corn kernels

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

½ cup ricotta cheese

2 eggs

Salt and ground black pepper

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives OR green onion

Vegetable oil, as needed

Using a sharp knife, cut kernels from cobs. Discard cobs (or save them for making corn stock).

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, milk, ricotta and eggs.

Season with salt and pepper. Stir in corn and chives.

Heat about 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, ladle about ¼ cup of batter into pan and cook 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

Serve hot or warm.

Makes about 14 (3-inch) cakes.

Recipe adapted from The Dinnertime Survival Cookbook by Debra Ponzek with Mary Goodbody We added cilantro and onion to this recipe for vegetarian tostadas from America’s Test Kitchen’s Six-Ingredient Solution: How to Coax More Flavor From Fewer Ingredients cookbook due to be released in September.

Roasted Tomato and Corn Tostadas

2 ears fresh corn OR about 1 ½ cups corn kernels

1 pound cherry tomatoes, halved

2 tablespoons chile oil

¾ teaspoon salt, divided use

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup refried beans

8 (6-inch) corn tostadas

1 cup crumbled queso fresco cheese OR feta cheese

Fresh cilantro leaves, sliced red and green onion or other desired toppings

Heat oven to 450 degrees.

If using fresh ears of corn, cut kernels from cobs. Place corn and tomatoes in a bowl and toss with 1 ½ tablespoons of the chile oil and the salt and pepper. Spread mixture on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake in upper-middle of oven, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are softened and beginning to brown, about 20 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the refried beans with the remaining chile oil and ¼ teaspoon salt.

Spread bean mixture evenly over tostadas. Arrange on a separate rimmed baking sheet.

During the final few minutes of vegetable roasting time, heat the tostadas on the lower middle oven rack for 5 minutes.

To assemble: Top the heated tostadas with the corn-tomato mixture. Sprinkle with cheese, cilantro and/or onion. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe adapted from Six-Ingredient Solution: How to Coax More Flavor From Fewer Ingredients (America’s Test Kitchen, $26.95, September 2013)

Stuffed Poblano Casserole With Black Beans, Corn and Rice

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon turmeric, optional

2 cups long-grain or brown rice (do not use quick-cooking)

¼ cup finely chopped fresh cilantro OR flat-leaf parsley

¼ cup vegetable oil OR olive oil

1 pound bulk pork sausage OR 1 pound lean ground beef

½ cup diced onion

½ cup corn fresh kernels

½ cup finely diced celery root

1 clove garlic, minced

½ cup cooked black beans (canned is fine)

1 pound queso fresco OR Monterey Jack cheese, cubed or shredded, divided use

8 to 10 poblano peppers, cored and seeded

In a medium saucepan, bring 4 cups of water, the salt and turmeric to a boil. Add the rice, cover, reduce heat to low and cook until water is completely absorbed, about 20 minutes for white rice and up to 45 minutes for brown or according to package instructions. Fluff with a fork and let cool. Stir in cilantro;

set aside.

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil on medium.

Add the sausage, onion, corn, celery root and garlic and cook, breaking the meat up as it cooks, until no longer pink, about 10 minutes. Stir in the beans and half of the cheese. Set aside about 1 cup.

Stuff peppers with meat mixture, filling each about half full. Fill the remaining half of each chile with rice.

Drizzle a large, baking dish with 2 tablespoons of the remaining vegetable oil.

Arrange stuffed peppers in dish.

Distribute the reserved meat mixture over peppers. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over top, then drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil.

Cover with foil and bake 1 hour or until peppers are soft. Remove foil and bake 5 minutes more or until cheese is bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Makes about 4 servings.

Recipe adapted from Fresh Food Nation: Simple, Seasonal Recipes From America’s Farmers by Martha Holmberg

Food, Pages 31 on 07/31/2013

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