Corn is one hot item when it’s served cold
Summer calls for this staple in any form, but these six recipes prove there’s more than a kernel of truth to the benefits of serving it chilled
Oh, glistening ear of corn, slathered with butter and salt, how we do love thee. But news flash: Hot off the grill or plucked straight from boiling water isn’t the only way to enjoy this seasonal gem. At farmers markets, roadside stalls and grocery stores alike, the sweet, sweet corn of summer is here. And this powerhouse staple is just as good in cold dishes as it is steaming hot.
If you’re dreading yet another corn and black bean salad, fear not. We’ve peeled back the husks on some interesting contemporary uses starring corn in its raw state or cooked and then chilled.
In some cases, classic New World dishes have been reimagined. In her new book, “Food for Life,” Laila Ali, the daughter of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, gives the ancient Narragansett dish succotash
— traditionally lima beans stewed with corn and tomatoes — a makeover with edamame, cherry tomatoes and raw corn in a refreshing salad.
In others, such as Samin Nosrat’s “Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat,” corn is given a minimalist treatment. She offers up a silky-smooth soup made from just corn, onion, butter and salt. She provides an option to dress that with a vibrant coconut and cilantro chutney, but the soup is a star in its own right.
Nosrat’s secret weapon? A quick stock made from simmered corn cobs. The technique extracts a surprising amount of flavor from something most of us toss straight into the trash.
And the possibilities extend into cocktail hour and dessert. We’ve rejiggered a classic Prohibition-era Bee’s Knees cocktail with muddled raw corn. The drink is traditionally sweetened with honey, which beautifully accents the corn’s natural sweetness. For the final course, Eva Kosmas Flores gives us a sweet corn ice cream laced with cinnamon in her new title, “First We Eat.” Now, who thought an ingredient that’s been cultivated for at least the past 7,000 years could be so cool?