The season of sweet corn is here. Local farms are pulling their first ears, and although some may be small due to the recent period of drought, the flavor is undiminished.
We have tried bicolor corn with white and yellow kernels from Trauger’s Farm Market in Kintnersville, as well as the ever popular all-white sweet corn from farm stands in Bucks County. Everything has been good.
Realizing how popular sweet corn can be, many local farmers extend the season by planting fields for harvest throughout the warmer months. The corn season pretty much winds down in September, but I have purchased local corn as late as November, depending on the weather.
It is currently at its peak, and in August the corn harvest will be perfect for freezing and canning. It is such a joy to pull out a bag or box of frozen corn in the dead of winter and enjoy the taste of summer.
We love our local sweet corn, but the amount Americans eat is only 1 percent of the total corn crop in the country. The rest is field corn, which is used to feed animals, make ethanol, and produce an estimated 4,000 items in the supermarket that include some form of corn.
Americans eat and produce more corn than the rest of the world.
While corn is a carbohydrate and starch, it contains its share of nutrients. An average ear has 77 calories and a whopping 243 milligrams of potassium. It also contains vitamin C, magnesium and iron.
We all know how to cook corn on the cob. Here is a different variety from simplerecipes.com for the more jazzed-up Mexican street corn.
PREP TIME:10 minutes
COOK TIME:10 minutes
SERVINGS: 6 to 8 servings
If you aren’t able to find traditional Mexican crema in your local grocery store, use regular sour cream. You can also substitute grated Parmesan cheese or crumbled feta for the cotija.
6 to 8 medium ears sweet corn, husks removed
½ cup Mexican crema, or sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon ground chipotle pepper, or to taste
2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest, from 1 lime
2 tablespoons lime juice, from 1 lime
½ cup cotija cheese, crumbled
Lime wedges, to serve
1. Heat a gas or charcoal grill to 400 degrees. Once the grill is hot, clean the grates.
2. Whisk together the sauce: Meanwhile, whisk together the crema, mayonnaise, cilantro, garlic, chipotle pepper, lime zest and lime juice. Taste and season the mixture with salt if needed. (Crema and cotija cheese have a little salt already, so add extra judiciously.) Set aside.
3. Grill the corn: Place the husked corn directly onto grill grates. Grill the corn for about 3 minutes, undisturbed, or until kernels begin to turn golden brown and look charred. Turn over and repeat. When all sides are browned, remove from the grill onto a plate.
4. Top the corn with sauce and cheese: Using a brush or a spoon, coat each ear of corn with the crema mixture. Sprinkle with crumbled cojita cheese. Sprinkle with additional chipotle pepper, if desired. Serve immediately with extra lime wedges.
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