Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
Corn’s versatility takes center stage
Is there a summer ingredient more enticing than corn? I love it grilled to a char, slathered in butter, sliced into a salad, fried into pancakes, baked into muffins, stirred into risotto and tossed with noodles. I love elotes, esquites and arepas. I really love it in ice cream and pudding; if you haven’t had these delicacies, do it now.
Southern fried corn
Southern fried corn, a dish with roots in African American cooking, preserves fresh kernels and their natural sweetness. It’s traditionally made with corn shucked fresh from the cobs. Reserving the “milk” — the liquid from the lining of the cob — makes this dish lightly creamy without cream. Sautéed with onions and jarred peppers, the kernels pick up loads of fresh flavor, then a final shower of bacon and sliced scallions adds crunch for a side dish that’s perfect for any Sunday dinner.
By Millie Peartree Yield: 5 cups (4 to 6 servings)
Total time: 35 minutes Ingredients:
• 6 fresh ears of corn
• 4 slices thick-cut bacon, cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 large shallots, finely chopped
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper • 1/2 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp cornstarch
• 1 (12-ounce) jar roasted red peppers, drained and diced
• 2 large scallions, thinly sliced
Preparation:
1. Slice off the kernels from each ear of corn (you should have about 4 cups). Then, with the flat edge of the knife or the edge of a small spoon, scrape each cob over a plate to collect the starchy “milk.” Discard cobs.
2. Heat the bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium. Cook until crisp, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Drain any fat into a small heatproof bowl, leaving about 2 tablespoons in the skillet.
3. Add the butter to the skillet to melt. Add shallots and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes.
4. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add corn to the skillet, with the reserved milk, salt, paprika, pepper and sugar. Cook, stirring frequently, until corn is softened and lightly browned in spots, 5 to 7 minutes.
5. In a small bowl, combine 3/4 cup water with the cornstarch; stir until well combined to create a slurry.
6. Add the slurry to the corn mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until it’s smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.
7. Stir in cooked bacon, red peppers and half the scallions to heat through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve with remaining scallions.
Skillet shrimp with corn and lime dressing
This bright, tangy, one-pan meal comes together quickly and is packed with bright flavors — perfect for a summer evening. If you can’t find fresh corn, frozen will work in a pinch; just defrost it and pat it dry before throwing it into the skillet. You can also add a little more spice by leaving the ribs and seeds in the chile that goes into the dressing. Serve the shrimp and corn over rice or with a big green salad. Depending on what you serve this dish with, you may have a bit of dressing leftover, which can be saved for salad or drizzled over grilled meat or vegetables.
By Yossy Arefi Yield: 4 servings Total time: 30 minutes Ingredients:
• 1 pound large shrimp (preferably tail-on), peeled and deveined
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, plus 2 teaspoons lime zest, and 4 lime wedges (from 3 limes) • 2 tbsp thinly sliced mint, plus a few mint leaves for garnish
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 garlic clove, finely minced
• 1/2 Fresno chile, finely minced, seeds and ribs removed if desired
• 6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 4 ears)
Preparation:
1. Pat the shrimp dry, then toss with the coriander and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Let sit while you prepare the dressing.
2. Make the dressing: In a medium bowl, combine the lime juice, lime zest, mint, honey, garlic, chile, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 cup olive oil. Whisk until well combined and emulsified.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, then add the shrimp in an even layer. Cook the shrimp until pink and just cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the shrimp to a plate.
4. Reduce the heat to medium and add the corn to the pan. Season with salt and pepper, and cook the corn without stirring until it begins to brown on one side, about 2 minutes. Give the corn a stir and cook for another minute.
5. Add the shrimp back to the pan, along with 2 tablespoons of the dressing, and stir to coat everything in the dressing and to rewarm the shrimp.
6. Transfer to a serving platter, drizzle with more dressing, and garnish with more mint.
Serve with lime wedges.
Grilled corn and avocado salad with feta dressing
This lively salad of corn, scallions, jalapeño and avocado tossed with a tangy buttermilk-feta dressing is like summer on a plate. The sweetness of peak-summer corn and the richness of creamy avocado balance out the tartness of the dressing. To choose the perfect corn, make sure that the corn husk is bright green and slightly dewy to the touch, and that the silks peeking out at the top are yellow, not browned. Finally, the corn should be heavy for its size: the heavier the corn, the plumper the kernels.
By Sue Li Yield: 4 to 6 servings Total time: 30 minutes Ingredients:
• 6 ears corn (about 3 pounds), shucked and silk removed
• 1 bunch scallions (about 6), trimmed
• 1 jalapeño, stemmed and halved lengthwise
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest plus 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 small garlic clove, grated
• 1/4 cup sliced fresh chives
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
• 1 medium head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces (about 8 cups)
• 2 avocados, sliced
Preparation:
1. Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high. Brush corn, scallions and jalapeño with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange on the grill and cook, turning occasionally, until corn kernels are browned in spots, 6 to 8 minutes, and the scallions and jalapeño are charred all over and tender, 9 to 10 minutes. Transfer vegetables to a cutting board and let cool slightly.
2. In a medium bowl, using a whisk, mash the feta into a coarse paste. Whisk in buttermilk, lemon zest and juice and garlic, then stir in chives and parsley. Finely chop the charred jalapeño and stir it into the feta dressing; season with salt and pepper.
3. In a large bowl, toss lettuce with half the feta dressing and arrange on a platter. Cut corn kernels off the cob and slice scallions into bite-size pieces. Arrange avocado slices, corn and scallions on top of the lettuce. Serve with remaining dressing.
One-pan chicken thighs with coconut creamed corn
If it’s possible to upstage crispy-skinned chicken thighs, the coconut creamed corn in this dish comes close. The sweetness of caramelized corn and coconut milk is balanced by the brightness of the ginger, chile, scallions and lime. As the corn simmers, the browned chicken thighs finish cooking right on top, so the flavors meld and deepen. It’s a complete summery meal in one skillet, although you can make it anytime. Just use frozen corn. Garnish it with cilantro, chives, fried shallots or coconut flakes, and serve it with a green side. If you feel like it, you could use shrimp instead of chicken.
By Ali Slagle Yield: 4 servings Total time: 35 minutes Ingredients:
• 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (4 to 6 pieces)
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 5 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (from about 7 ears)
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
• 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated or chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated or chopped
• 1 serrano chile or chipotle in adobo, finely chopped, or 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes • 1 (15-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
• 1 lime, cut into wedges
Preparation: 1. Pat the chicken dry, and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle the olive oil in a large (12-inch) skillet. Add the thighs, skin-side down, and set over medium heat. (It’s OK if they’re slightly squeezed in the skillet; as the fat renders, they’ll shrink.) Cook, undisturbed, until the skin is deep golden brown, and the thighs release easily from the pan, about 15 minutes. (If your stove is getting splattered with oil, cover the skillet.) Transfer the chicken, skin-side up, to a plate. Reserve the skillet and fat.
2. Increase the heat to high, add the corn, scallion whites, ginger, garlic and serrano. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the corn starts to brown in spots, 2 to 3 minutes, adding an extra minute or two if using frozen corn.
3. Reduce heat to medium, add the coconut milk, scrape up any browned bits from the pan and season with salt and pepper. Put the chicken on top of the corn mixture, skin-side up. Simmer until the coconut milk is slightly thickened and the chicken is cooked through, 7 to 10 minutes. (If your corn has reduced too much before your chicken is done cooking, just add a few tablespoons of water or chicken stock.)
4. Serve with a squeeze of lime and reserved scallion greens on top.
Creamy corn pasta with basil
There’s no cream in this wonderfully summery pasta dish, just a luscious sauce made from puréed fresh corn and sweet sautéed scallions, along with Parmesan for depth and red chile flakes for a contrasting bite. Be sure to add the lemon juice and fresh herbs at the end; the rich pasta really benefits from their bright, fresh flavors. And while this is best made at the height of corn season, it’s still quite good even with out-of-season ears, or with frozen corn.
By Melissa Clark Yield: 3 to 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes Ingredients:
• Fine sea salt
• 12 ounces dry orecchiette or farfalle
• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1 bunch scallions (about 8), trimmed and thinly sliced (keep the whites and greens separate)
• 2 large ears corn, shucked and kernels removed (2 cups kernels)
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper, more for serving
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, more to taste
• 1/3 cup torn basil or mint, more for garnish
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste • Fresh lemon juice, as needed
Preparation:
1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until 1 minute shy of al dente, according to the package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in large saute pan over medium heat; add scallion whites and a pinch of salt and cook until soft, 3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup water and all but 1/4 cup corn; simmer until corn is heated through and almost tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, transfer to a blender, and purée mixture until smooth, adding a little extra water if needed to get a thick but pourable texture.
3. Heat the same skillet over high heat. Add butter and let melt. Add reserved 1/4 cup corn and cook until tender, 1 to 2 minutes. (It’s OK if the butter browns.) Add the corn purée and cook for 30 seconds to heat and combine the flavors.
4. Reduce heat to medium. Add pasta and half the reserved pasta cooking water, tossing to coat. Cook for 1 minute, then add a little more of the pasta cooking water if the mixture seems too thick. Stir in 1/4 cup of the scallion greens, the Parmesan, the herbs, the red pepper flakes, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Sprinkle with fresh lemon juice to taste. Transfer to warm bowls and garnish with scallions, herbs, a drizzle of olive oil and black pepper.