Corn on the cob
Improvements in how I prep and serve corn have led to a sharp uptick in my intake.
I've gone corn mad this summer. I've been eating so much effing corn, I'm cornier than an episode of Hee Haw.
Here are some tips I can share:
Microwave your corn
This is the trick that turned corn on the cob into an any-time-I-damned-well-please dinner option. I learned it about 10 years ago, maybe you've already heard it, too, but if you haven't, we-he-he-hell, welcome to the party, my friend.
Buy your corn with the husk still intact, and zap it in the microwave for 4 minutes (give or take, depending on your microwave). That's it. The husk is nature's steamer. Comes out perfect every time, and couldn't be easier.
Your new way to shuck corn
Or... could it be easier? Why yes, yes it can! Because this year I learned a new, better way to get the husk off the corn. No more peeling layer by layer, no more overflowing compost bin, no more fussing over silk strands. The husk and the silk come off all together in one swift motion, thanks to this tip from America's Test Kitchen (the whole video is only 8 minutes and it's all worth your time, but skip to about the 3 minute mark to get to the shucking):
When I showed this trick to my brother-in-law this summer, his eyes went as wide as saucers and he was pretty sure I'd just performed a miracle.
If you're not in a video kind of mood, I'll try to describe the action. Cut the bottom off the stem end of the corn, right where the cob has flared out to full width. After the corn has been microwaved (still in its husk), grip the top of the ear and give it a firm shimmy-shake. The ear will glide cleanly out of the husk, and you're left with a tidy bundle of all of the leaves and silk in your hand, ready to toss.
It takes a bit of practice, especially with figuring out where to make the bottom cut, and I find it easier to do the cut after the corn has cooked (use some sort of heat protective gloves). My brother-in-law had it down by his second or third ear.
Corn cob dishes
You don't need special dishes for your corn on the cob, but also, you totally need them. Rather than a corn cob rolling around awkwardly on a huge plate, let your corn nestle snugly into its own bowl, spinning around in its own little private lake of melted butter. I picked up a set of vintage amber glass dishes on Etsy.
Corn cob handles
I am not immune to the charms of the recursive classic: corn handles shaped like miniature corn cobs. But they want to slide out of the cob, and want even more to stab you when you reach into your kitchen drawer.
Enter my favorite silly-but-excellent kitchen gadget company, Dreamfarm. They have these clever little corn handles, Lockorns, that lock into the corn cob, and lock into each other for safe storage.
Corn kernel stripper
Dreamfarm has a nifty tool for stripping the kernels off of your corn, their Corpeel. You do not need this thing, there are plenty of other ways to do this without a dedicated tool, but I wanted it anyway. I advise using a kevlar glove to protect your hand from the blade.
I like to use the kernels for esquites, which is elote served in a cup. I use butter, mayo, lime juice, grated parmesan, and Lawry's seasoning salt, which is not right. It's supposed to be cotija cheese, but this is how I get rid of the little buckets of grated parmesan left over from getting Italian take-out. And I use Lawry's instead of cayenne because I just love that danged stuff. Don't look to me for an esquites recipe, is what I'm saying.
Embrace your corny self
If you want corn, I want you to have corn, and I hope something in here has made that easier for you. You truly don't need to buy any of the extras I have—there's something magic about the simple joy of a 25¢ corn cob and butter.
We're at about the midpoint of corn season in California right now, and my eagerness for corn is not showing any signs of fading yet. I'm already looking forward to how giddy I'll be next summer when it's time to start all over again.
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