The Sweetness of Summer Corn

The SWEETNESS OF SUMMER CORN

By Amy S. White

There’s a short, sun-kissed span of time each year when corn tastes like summer itself. During that time, the tables at farmers markets groan under the weight of stacked ears wrapped in green husks, their bright yellow kernels sweet and juicy and begging to be devoured. Summer corn is more than a garden vegetable or a farmers market find; it’s a ritual from the messy shucking, to the steamy boiling, to the decadent slathering with butter and salt, and finally ending with the sharing — preferably outside with friends and family who linger lazily long after the sun has set and only bare cobs remain. 

But simply eating corn on the cob is not where summer corn’s magic should end. At its peak, corn’s fresh, sweet kernels can be the foundation for an entire repertoire of recipes. We celebrate the versatility of summer corn with recipes from some of the state’s best chefs. Chef Tom Kaldy has opened The Hidden Kitchen at the Hilliard Mills in Manchester, a chef-owned, chef-driven takeout café, with full-service catering and cooking classes, which in his own words, “focus on technique, mindset, and understanding the how and why behind what we create.” He sent us his recipe for Fried Green Tomatoes with Charred Corn Salad, a summer-on-a-plate dish that could serve as an appetizer or entree. Chef Carlos Perez of Good News Restaurant in Woodbury gave us his Street Corn Risotto recipe, which he loves to pair with seafood, summer’s second-favorite food. And corn’s sweetness makes for a deliciously different ice cream flavor, according to Chef Ben Dubow of Hartford’s Fire by Forge and his recipe for Sweet Corn and Olive Oil Ice Cream. 

Whether you’re roasting, grilling, steaming or simmering cobs into broths, however you cook it, summer corn brings color, texture and natural sweetness to the table. It is the perfect food to pair with the rest of summer’s sensations: the droning of lawn mowers, the smell of cut grass, the glow of late sunsets and the easy pleasure of sharing a table.

Connect on Facebook @amysilverwhite and Instagram @amyswhitewrites.

RECIPES:

Fried Green Tomatoes with Charred Corn Salad

Recipe courtesy of Chef Tom Kaldy, The Hidden Kitchen at Hilliard Mills, Manchester

For the Tomatoes:

Ingredients:

• 3–4 green tomatoes
• 1 cup corn flour or all-purpose flour
• 3 eggs
• 3 cups fine polenta or cornmeal (substitute breadcrumbs if desired)
• Salt, pepper and fresh herbs as desired
• 1 cup cooking oil (canola or vegetable)

Directions:

1. Slice the green tomatoes into rounds about ¼-inch thick and season with salt and pepper.
2. Create a breading lineup with the flour in one bowl, whisked eggs in another and cornmeal in the third. Season each slightly with salt and pepper.
3. Dredge each slice of tomato in the flour, dusting off the extra, then dip and coat well in the egg mixture, and finally in the cornmeal and set aside.

For the Charred Corn Salad:

Ingredients:

• 6 whole ears of corn
• 1 pound green beans or pole bean of some sort
• 2 whole roasted red bell peppers, diced
• 1 bunch scallions, cut on the bias
• 2 tablespoons picked thyme leaves, chopped if desired
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon espelette or other chile powder
• 1 cup Bulgarian or Greek feta cheese

Directions:

• Char the vegetables: Heat the grill on high until it is quite hot. Place the whole ears of corn (do not remove husk yet) onto the grill and close the lid in order to grill and bake/steam the corn at the same time, checking often and turning as needed to avoid burning completely. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly, then remove the husks from the corn. Cut all the kernels off the cob by standing them up onto a small bowl that is contained inside another vessel to catch the corn as it is cut. Char the green beans on the grill as well, moving often until tender and a slight char develops. Chop them and place them into the bowl with the corn kernels.
• Make the corn salad: While the corn and beans are still warm, add the diced peppers, scallions, thyme leaves, olive oil, white balsamic, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the chile powder to the mixture a little at a time, to taste. Keep in mind you can always add more but can never remove! Set aside to allow the mixture to marinate.
• Fry the tomatoes: In a large, shallow frying pan, over medium heat, bring 1 cup of cooking oil to 350°F. Fry the breaded green tomatoes until golden brown, remembering to season them with salt and pepper immediately as they are removed from the oil.
• Serve: Place the fried green tomatoes onto a board or serving platter. Spoon a hefty amount of the warm corn salad over each fried green tomato and finish by adding the feta over the top of each. 

Street Corn Risotto

Recipe courtesy of Chef Carlos Perez, Good News Restaurant, Woodbury

Ingredients:

• 4-5 ears fresh corn (about 3-4 cups of kernels), husked
• 5-6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 small onion or 2 shallots, finely diced
• 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1½ cups arborio or carnaroli rice
• ½ cup tequila or white wine
• 1 tablespoon chipotle peppers in adobo, finely chopped or 1 teaspoon chipotle powder
• ½ cup Mexican crema or sour cream
• Zest and juice of 1-2 limes
• 1 cup crumbled cotija cheese, divided
• ½ teaspoon chili powder or tajin
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• Cilantro, chopped

Directions:

Grill the corn: Preheat the grill to medium-high. Brush corn with a little olive oil, and season lightly with salt. Grill, turning occasionally, until charred in spots and tender, 8-12 minutes. Let cool slightly, then cut the kernels off the cobs. Set aside about ¾ cup of the charred kernels for garnish; reserve the remaining for stirring into the risotto. Set aside the cobs for the stock.

Prep the stock: Warm the stock in a saucepan over low heat, then add the corn cobs. Keep stock simmering gently as you add it to the risotto. 

Start the risotto: In a large heavy-bottomed pan or Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the diced onions OR shallots, and a pinch of salt. Sautee until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute more, taking care not to burn it.

Toast the rice: Stir in the rice. Cook, stirring frequently, until rice is lightly toasted and translucent at the edges, 2-3 minutes.

Deglaze and build the risotto: Pour in the tequila OR white wine and stir until mostly absorbed. Start adding the warm stock 1/2 -1 cup at a time, stirring often. Wait until each addition is mostly absorbed before adding more. Continue for about 20 minutes until rice is creamy and al dente (tender but with a slight bite).

Add the elote (street corn) flavors: When rice is nearly done, stir in the grilled corn kernels (saving some for garnish), chopped chipotle peppers OR powder, Mexican OR sour cream, lime zest and juice, most of the cotija cheese, and the remaining butter. 

Finish, garnish, and serve: Remove from heat. The risotto should be creamy and loose; it will thicken as it sits. Divide into bowls and top with reserved charred corn kernels, extra crumbled cotija, a sprinkle of chili powder OR tajin, fresh cilantro, salt and pepper to taste, and a final squeeze of lime.

Sweet Corn and Olive Oil Ice Cream

Recipe courtesy of Chef Ben Dubow,  Fire by Forge, Hartford

Ingredients:

• 2 cups fresh corn kernels (from 3-4 ears)
• Corn cobs, broken into pieces
• 1 ½ cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 5 large egg yolks
• Pinch of lemon zest
• ⅓ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

Steep the corn: Combine corn kernels, corn cob pieces, milk, cream, sugar, honey, and salt in a large saucepan. Heat over medium heat just until steam starts to form and tiny bubbles just begin to appear on the edge of the liquid. Turn off heat, cover, and steep for 25 minutes.

Blend and strain: Remove and discard the corn cobs. Blend the mixture until very smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing firmly to get all the liquid. 

Make the custard: Whisk egg yolks in a medium bowl. Warm the strained cream base over medium heat until it just begins to steam again. Temper by whisking in about a cup of the hot cream base into the yolks slowly, then pour back into the pot. Cook over medium-low, stirring constantly, until the mixture coats the back of the spoon and hits about 170-175F. Do not boil.

Emulsify: Remove the pan from the heat. Add the lemon zest. Use an immersion or countertop blender and slowly drizzle in the olive oil while blending until the mixture is glossy and fully emulsified.

Chill, churn, and set: Chill mixture completely, a minimum of 4 hours, overnight is best. Churn to a soft-serve consistency then freeze a minimum of 4 hours until firm.

Notes: Use peak-season corn and cut the kernels off close to the cob. Use a fruity, not bitter or peppery, olive oil.