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Perfect Sweet Corn
Jamie Stolper
For the best-tasting fresh corn on the cob, follow these simple tips:
► Buy ears whose niblets are small or medium-sized and look slightly shiny. Large kernels can be too mealy and dull corn is old corn. Husks should appear fresh, not dry and curling
► All white or white and yellow corn varieties ("butter & sugar") are generally the sweetest.
► Do not husk the corn until just before you are cooking it. Keep it in the refrigerator or in a cool place once you get it home, and serve it the same day that it was picked.
► Don't bother boiling the corn in a huge pot of water. It's time-consuming and wasteful. Just put an inch or two of water in a pot, bring to a boil, and place as many ears as you want (or can fit) in the pot. Cover, bring to a boil again, and steam the corn for just 3 minutes for really fresh corn. Older corn may need a couple of more minutes.
► Fresh corn is delicious plain, but to serve with butter (or margarine), melt it in a small bowl in the microwave and brush it on with a small pastry brush. Figure roughly half a stick for 6 ears.
► To freeze fresh corn niblets, cut them off the cob using a very sharp knife, slicing down the ear. Stabilize the ear by cutting the stem on the wider end so that it can stand flat on the cutting board. Freeze the corn in zip-lock plastic bags with the air squeezed out.
► Frozen fresh corn niblets are a treat year-round, added to soups, salads, salsas, rice and pasta dishes, or served plain.
Jamie Stolper is the Food Editor of ShalomBoston.com.
Perfect Sweet Corn
ShalomBoston.com
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