Sweet Corn… a summer favourite!

This week’s Vegetable Box Feature: Sweet Corn… a summer favourite! 

Did you know?

• Corn was first grown more than 7,000 years ago by Native Americans in Central America.
• It is cultivated on every continent except Antarctica.
• Sweet corn and field corn may appear alike. However, they are not the same. They have varied tastes and thus they have distinctive culinary uses.
• Field corn is less sweet than sweet corn. Thus, it does not have any taste right off the cob. Hence, we use it as the meal or corn flour of field corn. 
• About 14,000 lbs of corn is produced in one acre of land.
• Corn is high in fibre. It is also a rich source of antioxidants and vitamins. 
• The color of the kernel does not affect the sweetness of the corn & there are about 800 kernels per cob.
• Yellow corn is slightly better for your health than white corn, as the yellow coloration comes from beta carotene that our bodies convert to vitamin A. 

Fun Fact

• Native Americans used sweet corn leaves as chewing gum.
• Each kernel on the cob has one strand of silk.
• The tallest sweet corn plant on record measured 10.74 m. That’s nearly 3 floors high. It was grown by Jason Karl in Costa Rica in 2011.
• Sweet corn is pollinated by wind. That’s why plants are usually grown close together: so even a light breeze can carry the pollen from the tassel at the top of the plant (the male part) to the cluster of silks (the female part) at the tip of the cob of a neighboring plant. 

How to Store It
Keep that corn husked! That gorgeous green husk locks in the corn's moisture and flavor. As corn dries out, its natural sugars begin turning starchy. Wrap it up! Exposing your sweet corn to air speeds up the sugar-to-starch process, so keep your ears in a plastic bag or wrapped individually. You should cook/use it within 3 days.

Preparation
Boiling corn is one of the easiest cooking methods. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil on the stove. Meanwhile, shuck the corn, removing both the husks and silks. Gently lower the sweet corn into boiling water and cook for four minutes. When the corn is done, remove the ears and drain on a paper towel before serving. To add flavor as the corn cooks, add butter, herbs, garlic or even milk directly into the pot of water.

For things like salsa & salads, you can also sauté just the kernels instead of cooking the entire cob. First, shuck the corn, removing all of the husks and silks. Cut the kernels off of the cob. In a medium-sized skillet, melt butter (about one teaspoon of butter per cob) over medium heat. Add the corn kernels, salt and pepper to taste, and sauté for eight to 10 minutes. Add fresh or dried herbs for additional flavor as the kernels cook.

Roasting sweet corn is delicious and if you don’t have a BBQ you can also use your oven!

In the husks: Remove any dry, outer leaves and cut off any tassels sticking out of the husk (they will quickly burn in the oven). Place the cobs in a single layer, directly on an oven rack. Roast for 30 minutes and carefully remove them with tongs.

Without the husks:Shuck the corn, removing both the husks and the silks. Place them in a single layer directly on an oven rack. Roast the corn for 20 minutes and carefully remove them with tongs.

Wrapped in foil without the husks: If you are wrapping shucked ears of corn in foil, take this opportunity to create flavor packets by adding butter, spices and herbs to each. First, shuck and clean the corn. Then wrap each cob in foil and place the foil-wrapped cobs directly on an oven rack. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes and then carefully remove each packet with tongs.

How to Use:
Sweet corn can be eaten raw or cooked, straight from the cob or removed and served in dozens of ways: as a side dish vegetable, in salads, soups, garnishes, creamed, or even in ice cream!

Recipes:

Grilled Corn & Red Cabbage Slaw
Created by: Ashley Steele

A delicious summer side dish!

Ingredients:
2 ears fresh sweet corn, husks removed
1 lime, juiced
½ cup chopped cilantro
½ tsp ground cumin
1 pinch salt
ground pepper to taste
1 TBSP olive oil
½ head red cabbage, shredded
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
¼ cup crumbled queso fresco

Instructions
1. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.

2. Cook corn on the hot grill until charred on all sides, about 15 minutes. Remove corn from the grill and cool.

3. Pour lime juice into a bowl; add cilantro, cumin, salt, and pepper. Whisk olive oil into lime juice mixture until dressing is smooth.

4. Add cabbage and jalapeño pepper to dressing and toss. Cut corn from cob and mix into cabbage mixture. Crumble queso fresco over slaw; toss well.

Fresh Summer Corn Chowder
Created By:  Allrecipes

Terrific recipe for fresh corn and potatoes. A great vegetarian dish, too!

Ingredients:
6 ears corn, husked
¼ pound unsalted butter
1 medium onion, diced
2 bunches scallions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 small new potatoes, cut into chunks
1 jalapeno pepper, minced (Optional)
1 ½ cups milk
1 ½ cups vegetable broth
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Remove corn kernels from cobs and place in a bowl. Scrape 'milk' from cobs into bowl with the kernels. Reserve 1 cob.

2. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion, scallions, and garlic; cook until soft but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add corn kernels, corn milk, potatoes, and jalapeno. Cook, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Add milk, broth, and reserved cob. Simmer until potatoes are completely soft and soup is slightly thick, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and discard cob.
3. Season chowder with cilantro and pepper and serve.

Baked Corn on the Cob and Garlic Parmesan
Created by: Christina Cherrier

Baked corn on the cob is a wonderful way to enjoy fresh corn during the summer.

Ingredients:
4 ears corn on the cob, husked
2 TBSP unsalted butter, melted
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
3/4 cup grated parmesan
1 TBSP Italian parsley, finely chopped

    ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:

1. To make the garlic parmesan corn on the cob: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220ºC). Line a 10 x 15-inch sheet pan or similar with heavy-duty aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray.

2. Mix together the softened butter, Italian parsley, minced garlic, black pepper, and grated parmesan.
3. Brush the corn on all sides with half the mixture of seasoned butter. Lay the ears of corn side by side on the baking sheet and cover loosely with foil.
4. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes, turning occasionally; or until tender. Remove foil and broil for 3-5 minutes to char the corn slightly, if you like.
5. Transfer baked corn to a cutting board and chop each ear of corn in 2 or 3 parts. Transfer to a large salad bowl and toss in the remaining garlic parmesan butter mixture (if it is set, it will melt with the heat of fresh-baked corn). Sprinkle the baked garlic parmesan corn on the cob with more parsley and parmesan and serve immediately. Enjoy!