Fresh corn on the cob is a ritual of summer and into fall in New England. From the first ear to the last, we are hooked whether eating it slathered in butter right off the cob, simmered in a chowder, creamed in a casserole, corn pudding, or soufflé, fried as a fritter, stuffed in a succotash, folded into an omelet or frittata, mixed into cornbread, slipped into a salad, or puréed and strained in ice cream. Yes, ice cream, seriously, here’s my friend Terrie’s recipe from Comfort du Jour. We have corn festivals, corn roasts, and when it is all just about over, we decorate our doors with colored corn on the cob, and wander lost through corn mazes.
A staple crop, then and now
Corn was a staple crop for the native population and for the European settlers as well. It grows abundantly here. Villages in the 17th and 18th centuries had to be as self-sustaining as possible, and they all had a gristmill for grinding the various grains into flour and meal, wheat, rye, buckwheat, and of course, corn. At one point, New England had thousands of these mills. Sadly, most are gone, but there is a new generation of millers who operate and offer stone-ground flours and meals of all types, many heirlooms included, and they are keeping things exciting and tasty.
Simple pleasures
When I was a kid, corn was one of those simple pleasures that we waited for with great anticipation, well, most of us still do. We all loved corn season, and throughout the summer after that first ear was picked, our meals often included a platter. We ate it simply with a communal stick of butter on a plate that we took turns rolling our corn in, and then salting as we pleased. Sometimes, when times were lean and butter scarce, mom would slather butter on a heel of bread and we would take turns rolling our cobs on it. It worked! Nothing more, and nothing better. We only grew corn ourselves one year, and dad decided it was best to just let the farmers do the growing since we could get corn cheap and by the bushel when it all came in at once, and put by what we wanted.
Annual corn roast
One of my other favorite memories was going to the Chesterfield Corn Roast, a ritual for the area most years in late summer since 1933. Long make-shift grills are set up and thousands of ear of corn are tossed on the fire and roasted to perfection. There are hotdogs, potato salads, always an abundance of pies, music, and sometimes fireworks. All good memories.
We do love our sweet corn in New England!
My habit now when I stop at the farm stand is to buy a dozen, which is often 13 ear (the old Vermont dialect used ear for both the plural and singular of corn), eat what we want for supper, and freeze the rest or use it in other dishes during the week.
This past week, my dozen led me to several dishes, beginning with a recipe that my granddaughter Jaina came up with on the fly when we realized that not only did we have a lot of corn, but a very substantial harvest of tomatoes she picked as well (my garden slave this summer). I promised her full credit for her creation, a type of salsa or salad that proved quite versatile for several days. We enjoyed this atop toasted bread for an afternoon snack, and again the next morning with a fried egg on top, with some left over to make a chopped salad with lettuce and cucumbers for lunch a couple of days later. One meal sort of just morphs into the next around here.
More to come
But that was just the start. With almost two quarts of corn to work with from that dozen ear, we had a lot of fun and delightful dishes, including variations on two of my favorite Corn Season recipes – corn pudding, and corn fritters, and a little left over to tuck into a frittata.
To begin, Jaina’s recipe:
Jaina’s Sweet Corn and Tomato Salad
- 2 cups or so cooked fresh corn
- 2 cups or so chopped tomatoes, seeds and pulp as well, plus a few cherry tomatoes if you have them
- 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed
- 1 small purple onion, minced
- 2 scallions, sliced thinly
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp. wine vinegar
- Pinch of sugar
- Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all the ingredients and enjoy as a topping on a protein, toast, or just a little side on your plate. For a delicious breakfast, top some whole-grain toast with the salsa and top that with an over-easy egg.
Next on the agenda, was corn fritters with sriracha mayonnaise. This made a lovely weekend breakfast.
Corn Fritters
- 2 1/2 cups cooked fresh corn
- ½ small sweet onion, finely minced
- 1/2 sweet red sweet pepper, finely minced
- 1 tbsp. each butter and olive oil
- 2 scallions, minced
- 2 eggs, separated (or 1/4 cup aquafaba*)
- 1/3 cup flour, gluten-free flour, or cornmeal
- 1 tbsp. fresh chives, finely minced
- 2 tbsp. sugar if the corn is not sweet enough, but at this time of year, not necessary unless you have a sweet tooth
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- Large pinch of kosher salt
- Freshly ground pepper
Sauté onion and pepper in butter and oil just until soft, let cool, and add to a large bowl along with the corn, egg yolks, flour, chives, sugar, baking powder, and seasoning. Mix everything together. I also tucked in a bit of leftover-brown rice from another meal, just so I didn’t waste it! What did I say about one meal morphing into the next?
Whip the egg whites or aquafaba just to gentle floppy peaks. Fold into the batter.
Heat a large cast iron frying pan, or other heavy skillet, to medium high. Once hot, add oil for shallow frying. Drop corn mixture by ice cream scoop into heated oil, and even the top lightly to form a small pancake. This makes eight, but you can make smaller ones by dropping the batter with a tablespoon. It’s up to you.
Fry on one side for a few minutes, until a peek under reveals browning and the edges of the top are starting to set. Using a very thin spatula, and another to help, carefully turn once only and brown the other side. The second side will only take a minute or so. Drain on a wire rack so they stay nice and crispy.
Enjoy as is, or top with an egg or egg substitute, maybe a slice of local heirloom tomato, you might have a few of those right now.
*Vegan option:
Omit the eggs, and whip 1/4 cup aquafaba (the liquid from a can of chick peas) to soft peaks, to fold in at the end just like the egg whites. When plating, simply top with tomato and salsa.
Sriracha Mayonnaise
In a small bowl, combine a half cup of mayonnaise or vegan mayonnaise, one to two tablespoons of sriracha sauce, a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Mix it up, that’s all, and it keeps well in the refrigerator. Not only good on burgers, but great for dipping French fries or roasted potatoes, or to top other veggies.
We rounded things out nicely with a corn pudding, with a couple of twists, of course.
Corn and Red Pepper Pudding
A New England classic, with a few twists here and there depending on the cook. My mom’s was always a simple white sauce using canned evaporated milk, onions, and green peppers, the leftover corn, and some cheese if she had it on hand. Other recipes use cornmeal, and it becomes more like a spoon bread. Some of the newer version are filled with cream cheese, cottage cheese, and sour cream and just about everything else that loads it up with saturated fat. These, I think, lose some of their corn flavor because of it.
I’ve made mine dairy free, used red peppers rather than green (you can also use hot peppers if you like), and upped the flavor of the corn by ‘milking’ the corn cobs to extract all the flavor I could. I know it sounds odd, but this makes a difference, and really amps up the taste of corn. You could also use cow’s milk, or even the evaporated canned milk; there is a skim variety that still tastes pretty rich. I also tucked in a bit of saffron for a slightly different flavor and beautiful amber color.
This takes a bit of time, but it is not difficult, and is most definitely worth it, and it stretched as a side for two meals for four of us as well (separated by a day since there is one in the house that does not like eating the same thing two days in a row, even corn).
- Milk and scrapings from four or five corn cobs
- 2 ½ cups oat or soy milk, or evaporated canned milk
- Pinch of saffron
- 1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
- 3 tbsp. butter or vegan butter
- 1 small purple onion, or three large shallots, minced
- 1 sweet red pepper, minced
- Pinch of cayenne
- 3 tbsp. unbleached white flour
- 2 eggs
- 2 ½ cups corn kernels
- 2 tsp. amber maple syrup
- ½ to 1 cup sharp Vermont cheddar, optional
- 2 scallions, minced
- Fresh breadcrumbs
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, and butter an oval casserole dish.
To milk the cobs, over a bowl, hold the cobs upright and scrape the back of a chef’s knife down across the cob, removing any liquid and left over remnants of the kernels. Add the scrapings and juice to the milk. Bring to a simmer, and warm gently for about 15 minutes, then, strain, add the saffron and Dijon, and keep warm.
Heat the butter in a skillet and saute the onion and red pepper until soft. Add the cayenne and the flour to form a roux, then slowly whisk in the strained, warmed milk mixture. Beat the eggs, and temper them by adding a bit of the hot liquid very slowly at first until you have about half of the milk mixture incorporated, then pour this into the rest of the milk mixture in the pan and stir over low until nice and thick. It doesn’t take long.
Add the corn, maple syrup, cheese, scallions, and chives and mix well. Turn into the baking dish, and top with fresh breadcrumbs you’ve drizzled with a bit of butter or olive oil.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until nicely browned and fragrant. Let cool 20 minutes before diving in.
I didn’t have enough corn left to freeze this time around (there’s always tomorrow), but I tucked some of the cobs in the freezer to boost my corn chowder flavor over the winter.
Now, that’s a lot of meals and sides for $8 worth of corn, and it’s local and organic to boot.
Now, what to do with all these tomatoes…I can’t believe it, but this is my 600th post, so perhaps 601 will answer that question.
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I have to say that I absolutely adore you and your food. If you still had your Inn, I would have to book it and come up there, just for the experience. I recall corn season in Texas, and we helped neighbors gather it, shuck it and prep for freezing in exchange for some for our own freezer. Ours was always on the cob, and never any other varieties, but I have come to appreciate the various ways corn can contribute to a meal as I have broadened my horizons. Thank you for this wonderful post and your granddaughter’s creation.
Oh thanks Suz, you are always so sweet! I think no matter where you are in this country, there are corn memories of some sort. Corn and cornmeal are strongly represented in New England cuisine, and when I lived in the south, it was there as well. I noted a difference in the cornbread. In the south, the cornbread I had was not sweetened, and in the north there is always a bit of sugar or honey added. I found this funny because in general, New Englanders like desserts and other baked good much less sweet than what I had in the south.
I never heard of sweet corn bread until I went up north! I was not a fan!
I rest my case!
I’ll need to remember this for when summer comes around, especially the freezing of ‘old’ corn cons.
It’s such a good trick! When I make corn chowder now without the cobs, it doesn’t have nearly as much flavor. It also thickens it a little too, natural corn starch!
i share the recipe of the chef Yuri Gortari and the street grills.
https://www.cardamomo.news/botanas/Esquites-tradicionales-con-epazote-conoce-la-receta-de-Yuri-de-Gortari-20220822-0002.html
Thank you! So much can be done with corn.
A new generation of exceptional Vermont gourmet chefs. 🙂
They are so willing to give things a try, and so often it ends up being really tasty!
What a cornucopia of recipes to try out!
Thanks Amie! Something for everyone I’d say!
Thank you, Dorothy, for everything with corn which I love!
Joanna
There are so many things you can do with it when it is in season, or when it’s in your freezer.
I completely forgot about corn pudding. Thanks for the nudge! This is a great round up of recipes. There is a restaurant nearby that makes corn ravioli in the summer – so good!
I could go for a bowl of corn ravioli! Sounds heavenly.
I love fresh summer corn too Dorothy, and your memories of all the corn fun you’ve had over the years are wonderful. There’s no such thing as too much corn and you and your granddaughter came up with delightful ways to enjoy eat with these recipes, yum!
Jenna
Thank you Jenna! This time of year is marvelous for a corn lover!
A staple crop indeed! What a variety of dishes! So delicious Dorothy! When I was a kid I used to wait for the corn too in summer! I loved it just simply boiled and with a bit of salt! 🌽
Simple is still the best with corn on the cob! There’s a lot of corn memories floating around out there.
Corn is yummy. I have never grilled corn on the Cobb but may one day try.
It’s the easiest way to cook it! Just toss it on the coals, let it char, and voila! You have delicious sweet corn with a bit of smoke.
Elotes is the another name for grilled corn right?
Yes, associated with Mexican street corn slathered in lots of tasty sauces and cheese!
There are a handful of sellers at our Farmers Market that offer organic sweet corn. Like you, I stock up and freeze whatever we don’t eat right away. One family-owned company sells the most delicious tortillas made from heirloom corn. I always have some tucked away in the freezer. They are beautiful as well – shades of yellow, red, and purple!
Oh, those tortillas sound lovely! The heirloom varieties of corn have so much flavor, and when the cornmeal is stone ground, the texture is so nice.
Being a corn addict, I will definitely enjoy all these tasty recipes.
Your granddaughter Jaina’s summer salad is beautiful, and must be so delicious. Well done! 🙂
Being a corn addict, I would enjoy all of these tasty recipes.
Your granddaughter Jaina’s summer salad is beautiful, and must be so delicious. Well done! 🙂
Jaina is proving the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. And if it did, she’d fetch it and cook up something yummy! The things you two did with tomatoes and corn were mouthwatering. My salivary glands are working overtime!
We had a great time! She’s heading back to school Sunday, so I’m back to picking all those cherry tomatoes myself!
So much for your summer slave! 🍅🌽
They always abandon me!
But they always come back! 🫶🏼
So true!
I haven’t made any corn and tomato salad yet this August. Thanks for the reminder. I like the sriracha mayo idea. That’s the kind of easy and spicy I like.
It’s one of my favorites Ally! I put it on eggs and fish and veggies, roasted potatoes, just about anything!
What fabulous recipes! Love the salad, but they are all wonderful!
Thanks Mimi! It’s so much fun to cook with corn this time of year.
Yip, yip, yippee! It’s that corn time of year. In Maine, we are wild about corn on the cob, and to us, corn goes with everything from spaghetti to tofu with peanut butter sauce.
I never heard that “ear” was plural. I don’t think it is in Maine. Or at least not that I know of.
I love all the ways you use corn
Thanks Laurie, and I totally agree, this time of year, corn goes with everything!
Funny how that works, isn’t it? Had corn on the cob last night, and we had them with quesadillas. So good!
And we had it this week with a veggie stir fry over rice!
Hi, Dorothy – That salad recipe looks deliciouus. I absolutely love fresh corn on or off the cob!
Thank you! It’s definitely the flavor of the time of year!
There’s nothing like freshly harvested corn on the cob! Last winter my grandson wanted some frozen corn on the cob, so I bought some at the supermarket. It was tough, flavorless, and generally awful. I couldn’t figure out why anyone would want to eat it. I’d rather just wait until this time of year to eat corn on the cob.
I know! Some things are simply worth waiting for, enjoyed at best, and left until the next year!
Our local farm stand has the best corn. We have been enjoying the corn and need some new recipes to try, thanks for all the ideas!
So many wonderful possibilities!
Thank you for sharing these wonderful recipes, Dorothy. I’m going to begin with the corn pudding. I have the ingredients in the house, and the recipe looks delicious.
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do! So tasty, and you can make it your own too with the addition of other ingredients.
crazy for corn! those fritters look amazing. I hope to see some good corn at my local farmers’ market tomorrow morning.
Happy hunting!!!
Wow, that corn & red pepper pudding is calling my name!
It’s really good! So much flavor.
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Yum! All these recipes sound so good!
Thanks Nancy! We enjoyed them all.
Jaina’s Sweet Corn and Tomato Salad Looks so delicious Dorothy! Corn ice cream, no way! I would never have thought to make it but I would definitely try it at a festival. You can’t beat fresh sweet corn and that must have been fun figuring out what recipes to make with it. What a great idea using the cob for flavor, you are so smart!
Corn is one of those foods that tastes good in just about any dish. Salads, chili, casseroles—I want to try it all. I used to live in the Dakotas, and we had fresh corn growing in our yard.
You can put it in everything, even ice cream!
That one I’ve never tried, though they are two of my favorite foods.
Toss in some blueberries, and it’s even better!
The starting recipe sounds a bit Southwestern and very delicious! The other recipes sound delicious as well.
We always grew sweet corn in the 5 acre garden when I was a kid. I remember sitting on the tailgate of the pickup truck shucking corn and throwing the shucks to the cows. The cows would gather round and eat the shucks as soon as they went over the fence.
We put the corn in sacks and mom would cut the kernels off the cobs so the corn could be frozen. She would also put some corn on the cob in the freezer.
What wonderful memories Julia! I can see you tossing those shucks to the cows!
I think there were several dishes that looked marvelous but all was forgotten once I laid my eyes on the corn pudding! Done the real old fashioned way and saffron!! Wow!
I’ve been to a corn roast or two…grew up in Iowa. Dad didn’t have corn in his little kitchen garden. We had plenty of farms and farmstands.
Mollie
Love those corn roasts! Everyone has such a good time, and the smells are amazing!
Enjoy the corn pudding!
I love all of these ideas, and it’s fun to read about how your grandchildren are willing to be creative about food, putting dishes together based on what’s in season. That’s your impact, you know! 😉 Thanks also for the shout-out on my sweet corn ice cream. I can’t wait to hear how it turns out for you!
You’ll know Monday!!!!!