BBT Corn Pan. [Abel Uribe/Shannon Kinsella/The Daily Meal]
Corn and Edamame Succotash Salad. [Abel Uribe/Shannon Kinsella/The Daily Meal]
Corn and maple ice cream. [Abel Uribe/Shannon Kinsella/The Daily Meal]
Removing the kernels from the cob opens the door to variety
Sweet corn is one of the surest signs of summer.
And growing at Coats Ranch in Central Point has been reassuring, following the closing of nearby Seven Oaks Farm and Beebe’s Farmstand over the past two years. I breathed a sigh of relief last month when Coats Ranch announced its first corn harvest, along with peaches and other farm-fresh produce.
After all, it wouldn’t be summer without locally grown cobbler peaches and fresh corn on the cob. After wavy front teeth dampened my kids’ enthusiasm for the latter last summer, they’ve reached for this quintessential seasonal treat.
Last summer, making the corn easier to eat, I turned to pan dishes with any produce, ie tomatoes, zucchini and peppers, and herbs nearby. Including bacon or sausage tempted my older carnivorous son.
By any name, corn, succotash, or maque choux are an easy, tasty, yet healthy side to grilled foods. Or serve it on lettuce leaves for a lighter meal, topped with sautéed shrimp or scallops, chunks of tofu or tempeh, or feta or halloumi.
Begin by cutting the kernels from the corn on the cob by placing each cob in a large bowl and holding it on top with one hand. Starting at the top, use a sharp knife to cut the kernels off the cob, working your way down. Turn the cob over and continue cutting until the cob is clean.
Next, put some sliced bacon in a cast-iron skillet, leaving it crispy; remove from the pan with a slotted spoon when done. Leave enough fat in the pan to completely cover the amount of corn you are cooking. Falling short here risks a dish that gains mealtime acceptance compared to rave reviews
For example, I recently cooked 12 ounces of bacon for seven ears of corn, plus half a sweet onion, two medium zucchinis, and half a pound of peas. The amount of fat in the pan while the onion and zucchini cooked looked like it would pool at the bottom of my serving dish, but once I added the corn, it miraculously absorbed and rendered all of that fat, plus surprise my diners.
The inclusion of peas, as opposed to the more traditional beans of succotash, shows that the dish is not so much a recipe as a method. Take it away from its American origins, first Native, then Colonial, with some Asian influences, such as edamame and cabbage suggested in the recipe below. Make it dairy-free with a couple of tablespoons of miso paste; sprinkle some togarashi seasoning instead of paprika and cumin.
Chile lime relish, like the Tajin, is delicious sprinkled over corn, but it makes a surprisingly tart and salty garnish on sweet corn ice cream. This rich version tastes like buttered cornbread topped with maple syrup. Infusing his heavy cream with the flavor of stripped corn on the cob is a thrifty move that extends local corn from one dish to another.
A flavor you’re unlikely to find in grocery store freezer cases, sweet corn ice cream is popular in Mexico, where I first tasted it while on vacation in the Baja Peninsula. A bucket list project with my kids, the recipe is made for a home ice cream maker; just be sure to thoroughly chill the dairy base (up to two days) and be sure to strain it through a fine-mesh strainer, which removes. the skins of the grains.
Coats Ranch is at 3371 Willow Springs Road. See Facebook for hours and harvest updates.
Contact Features Editor Sarah Lemon at 541-776-4494 or slemon@rosebudmedia.com
Bacon, basil and tomato pan
4 thick slices (8 ounces total) smoked bacon, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces
2 shallots or 1 small white onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 large poblano chile, seeded and chopped
1 clove or 2 small cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
3 cups fresh or grilled corn kernels
1 pint ripe cherry tomatoes, halved or 2 to 3 cups ripe tomatoes, diced
1/2 teaspoon coarse (kosher) salt.
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, about 1 1/4 ounces
In a large, well-seasoned cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the sliced bacon, stirring often, until the bacon is crisp and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate. Scrape off (and save for another use) all but 2 tablespoons of the rendered fat from the pan.
Add the shallots or onion and poblano to the pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring often, until smooth, about 4 minutes.
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the corn kernels. Cook, stirring often, for about 3 minutes, then add the halved cherry tomatoes. Cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper, or to taste. Remove from heat and stir in the crispy bacon. Stir in the sliced basil. Serve immediately.
Makes 4 cups (about 6 servings).
Warm Grilled Corn and Edamame Succotash Salad
2 ears of corn on the cob, shelled and rinsed
1 large sweet onion, peeled and cut crosswise into 3 sections
2 thick wedges Napa or green cabbage, about 6 ounces total
1/3 cup olive oil, plus a little more for drizzling
1/2 teaspoon coarse (kosher) salt, plus more for sprinkling
1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame or beans
2 small limes
1 teaspoon sweet red pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) crumbled queso fresco or feta cheese or 1/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup chives or thinly sliced fresh chives
Prepare a charcoal grill or preheat a gas grill to medium.
Place the corn cobs, onion slices and cabbage slices on a baking sheet. Brush all sides with a little oil and sprinkle with salt. Place the vegetables directly on the grill over low heat. Grill, turning occasionally, until golden brown on all sides, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board. Let cool.
Meanwhile, cook the edamame in a small pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 2 minutes. drain
Grate the rind of the limes into a large bowl. Next, squeeze the juice from the limes into the bowl. Combine 1/3 cup olive oil, paprika, cumin, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Add hot edamame to dressing in a bowl.
Use a sharp knife to remove the kernels from the corn cobs and add them to the seasoning. Chop the grilled onion and cabbage and add to the seasoning. mix well Add crumbled fresh queso or cream. Serve at room temperature sprinkled with chives or scallions.
Makes 6 cups, for 6 servings.
Sweet corn and maple ice cream
3 cups fresh raw corn kernels
1 cup whole milk
2 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon of salt
4 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
Black raspberries or fresh blackberries, to serve
Chile Lime Relish or Tajin Classic Chile Lime Relish (optional), to serve
Blend 1 1/2 cups of corn kernels with 1/2 cup of whole milk in a blender until very smooth. Transfer to a deep, heavy saucepan. Repeat with remaining 1 1/2 cups corn and 1/2 cup milk.
Stir the whipping cream, sugar, maple syrup and salt into the corn mixture. Heat over medium heat until boiling.
Meanwhile, place a large bowl over a larger bowl of ice. Place a mesh sieve into a large bowl.
Beat the egg yolks in a small bowl.
Slowly pour 1 cup of the heated corn mixture into the egg yolks to gently heat them. Then whisk the egg yolk mixture back into the corn mixture over low heat and cook over very low heat until thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. do not boil
Immediately pour the mixture through the strainer into a bowl set over ice. Whisk to cool the mixture and stop cooking. Stir in the vanilla. Refrigerate corn mixture until very cold or up to 2 days.
Pour the chilled corn mixture into the ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Pour into a container. Cover and freeze the solid for at least 1 hour.
Serve small scoops of ice cream topped with berries. If desired, stir some lime-chili seasoning over the ice cream.
1 1/2 quarters ago.
