One of late summer’s great treats is fresh B.C. corn on the cob slathered with butter.
I could eat it every day. But corn is equally tasty off the cob. The crunchy kernels are a delicious addition to salads and side dishes. Some recipes call for using raw corn, but I don’t care for the starchiness of the uncooked kernels.
After husking and removing every speck of corn silk (this is a great job for kids), all corn needs to make it perfect is a few minutes in boiling unsalted water. Salt tends to make the corn chewy, so I put a big pinch of sugar in the water instead.
Don’t overcook the corn, you want the kernels to be crunchy.
Three or four minutes in boiling water is enough. Drain the corn, rinse it with cold water, and when you can handle it easily place the ears one at a time in a large bowl and run a sharp knife down the ear as close to the cob as possible. The corn does tend to spray off the cob, so placing it in a big bowl is mandatory.
Alternatively, when the recipe calls for cooked corn kernels, you can cut the corn off the cob when it’s raw and sauté it in a mixture of oil and butter until tender.
Tortellini Salad with Fresh Corn, Basil & Tomatoes
One 350-gram package of fresh cheese tortellini
3 cups of sliced cherry or grape tomatoes (halved or quartered, depending on the size)
2½ cups cooked and cooled fresh corn kernels (about four ears)
¼ cup slivered fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Dressing:
½ cup olive oil
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp finely minced fresh basil
½ tsp garlic salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Cook the tortellini in boiling salted water until tender; drain and let cool to room temperature. In a large salad bowl, combine the cooled tortellini, tomatoes, corn kernels, slivered basil, the first two tablespoons of Parmesan cheese and black pepper according to taste. Combine all the dressing ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid.
Screw on lid and shake the jar vigorously. Pour dressing over salad and mix gently until ingredients are well combined. Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until serving. Makes six to eight servings.
Creamy Corn & Zucchini
2 Tbsp bottled Italian dressing
2 cups fresh raw corn kernels
1 medium zucchini, chopped
½ cup chopped onion
1 cup Mexican grated four-cheese blend (the kind that comes in a bag)
½ cup sour cream (regular or low fat, not fat free)
3 slices of bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
Heat the Italian dressing in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn, zucchini and onion and stir-fry until crisp-tender; remove from heat. Stir in the cheese and the sour cream; return to stove over medium heat and cook until cheese is melted and the mixture is heated through, stirring often. Top with crumbled bacon and chopped cilantro. Makes six to eight servings.
Crunchy Summer Vegetable Salad
Kernels from four ears of corn (cooked, cooled and cut off the cob)
2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped (or 1½ cups of halved or quartered grape or cherry tomatoes)
6 stalks of celery, chopped
1 English cucumber, chopped
6 radishes, sliced
6 green onions, sliced
½ cup sour cream (regular or low fat, not fat free)
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp white wine or rice vinegar
1 tsp celery seed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Mix all of the vegetables together in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, vinegar and celery seed. Pour dressing over vegetables and fold until well combined; add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately. Makes six to eight servings.
Angela Shellard is a self-described foodie. She has done informal catering for various functions. Contact: [email protected].
