I grew up with the mistaken notion that there was only one way to cook sweet corn. On the cob, in a pot. Since my sweet corn coming of age, I’ve witnessed a lot of backyard bickering about which technique is best. Perched precariously on the side of a grill, husks stripped back and ears exposed mercilessly to the flames. Wrapped in foil, husks intact and shoved among smoldering coals. Suffocated in plastic wrap and nuked on high. Microwaved until almost tender then grilled for good measure. Plunged into boiling water for 183 seconds. (Or was that three seconds shy of eight minutes?)
Everyone, it seems, thinks he knows the secret to cooking corn. Thanks to personal curiosity and, at times, begrudging politeness, I’ve sampled the upshot of every technique imaginable. But my preference? Corn off the cob.
Sweet corn takes on an entirely new character when it’s shaved from the cob, tossed with a scant amount of oil and exposed to high heat. The sugars caramelize, the corn flavor intensifies and the kernels crisp and literally pop.
This unconventional approach to sweet corn was less a conscious choice than it was a coping mechanism.
Today’s fancy sweet corn hybrids – Silver Queen, Kandy Korn, White Platinum Lady – don’t taste bad, but they don’t taste much like corn to me. At least not the old-fashioned corn of my childhood, which came from a field about a half a minute’s sprint from our farmhouse in Iowa. That sweet corn tasted uniquely, robustly, unmistakably like … well, sweet corn.
And so I came to this off-the-cob approach out of desperation. While boiling, nuking and even grilling corn only serve to amplify its engineered sweetness, roasting seems to draw out its essential corniness. Then again, maybe the surprise of the texture distracts from the flavor.
Once they’re roasted, corn kernels may be strewn atop salad greens or tossed into summer side dishes at whim, though I prefer their simplest incarnation: drizzled with more oil or topped with a chunk of butter and seasoned unjudiciously with salt.
Just as one would with corn on the cob.
Roasting corn off the cob rids the kernels of excess moisture and results in kernels that are intensely flavorful, surprisingly tender and with a slight crunch. When pulled from the heat at precisely the right moment, the surface takes on a splotchy golden color and the edges barely begin to crisp. You just might not go back to corn on the cob.
Roasting in an oven provides the most even cooking with the least chance for overcooked and hence tough kernels.
Roasted corn off the cob
2cups raw sweet corn kernels (from about 4 ears, any color)
Extra-virgin olive oil, preferably Spanish
Sea salt
Freshly cracked black pepper (optional)
To roast the corn: Preheat the oven to 475 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil. Scatter the corn on the baking sheet, drizzle with a scant amount of oil and, using your fingers, toss to coat each kernel of corn. There should be no extra oil pooling on the sheet or in the skillet. Spread the corn in a single layer. (Watch the corn carefully; it goes from roasted to burned in a few seconds.) Roast the corn, stirring once or twice, until lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes.
Immediately transfer to a bowl, drizzle with additional oil, season with salt and pepper to taste and toss to combine. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.
To broil the corn: Adjust the broiler pan about 6 inches from the heat element. Preheat the broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil. Scatter the corn on the baking sheet, drizzle with a scant amount of oil and, using your fingers, toss to coat each kernel of corn. There should be no extra oil pooling on the sheet or in the skillet. Spread the corn in a single layer.
Broil the corn, stirring once or twice, until lightly browned, 7 to 10 minutes. (Watch the corn carefully; it goes from roasted to burned in a few seconds.)
Immediately transfer to a bowl, drizzle with additional oil, season with salt and pepper to taste and toss to combine. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.
To saute the corn: You will need to use two skillets or work in batches. Add just enough oil to coat the bottom of the skillet. Saute over medium-high heat until lightly browned, 7 to 10 minutes.
Immediately transfer to a bowl, drizzle with additional oil, season with salt and pepper to taste and toss to combine. Serve hot, warm or at room temperature.
2 to 4 servings
Per serving: 95 calories, 2 gm protein, 16 gm carbohydrates, 4 gm fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 1 gm saturated fat, 74 mg sodium, 2 gm dietary fiber
Inspired by a recipe from “Once Upon a Tart … ,” by Frank Mentesana, Jerome Audureau and Carolynn Carreno (Knopf, 2003).
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Now that you have your roasted corn off the cob, it can easily be added to salsas, strewn atop salads and used as a starting point for new summer side dishes. After the corn has been roasted and you are about to add the final drizzle of oil, turn to one of these variations:
Basil: Toss with basil leaves that have been thinly sliced or torn into small pieces.
Butter: Add a large chunk of butter instead of oil and season with salt.
Lime, cilantro and black pepper: Add a squeeze of lime, some finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and plenty of cracked black pepper and, if desired, a pinch grated lime zest.
Miscellany herb: Toss with finely chopped fresh herbs – marjoram, chervil, chives, etc.
Corn and green bean salad
Before you roast or broil the corn, line a second baking sheet with foil. Cut a couple of handfuls of trimmed green beans into 1-inch lengths, scatter them on the foil and drizzle with a scant amount of oil. Roast or broil the beans while or before you cook the corn. Toss the beans and corn in a large bowl, drizzle with additional oil or lemon vinaigrette (recipe follows), season with salt and, if desired, add thinly sliced radishes. Serve immediately.
Inspired by a recipe from “Once Upon a Tart … ,” by Frank Mentesana, Jerome Audureau and Carolynn Carreno
Not your mother’s succotash
Boil some sugar snap peas just until bright green but not tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Add some roasted corn, a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper to taste.
Warm potato salad
Add some roasted corn to boiled new potatoes (the smaller the potato the better) and dress with plenty of cracked black pepper, lemon vinaigrette (recipe follows; using mustard) and, if desired, some red onion.
Roasted corn and tequila salsa
In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup roasted corn kernels, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 2 teaspoons or so tequila and a pinch of finely chopped, seeded habanero or serrano chili pepper. If desired, season with salt and pepper to taste.
Roasted corn and watercress salad
Drizzle olive oil or some lemon vinaigrette (recipe follows) over watercress, arugula or mizuna and toss to coat. Scatter with roasted corn kernels and pan-fried potatoes (boiled potatoes that have been cooled, refrigerated overnight, cut into 1-inch dice and pan-fried in a scant amount of oil until lightly browned on all sides). If desired, top with seared sea scallops.
Guacamole with roasted corn
Using a molcajete or a mortar and pestle, mash 1 small clove garlic and a pinch sea salt. Transfer to a bowl and add the juice from 1/2 lime, 1 avocado scooped from its peel, 2 teaspoons finely chopped red onion and finely chopped fresh cilantro to taste. Using a fork or 2 knives held crisscross fashion, gently cut or mash the ingredients until the desired consistency. Gently stir in 1/3 cup roasted corn. Taste and season with salt, pepper and additional lime juice to taste.
Corn and bitter greens salad
Toss together a few handfuls of torn bitter greens, such as arugula, frisee, radicchio and/or watercress, with lemon vinaigrette (recipe follows) or a balsamic vinaigrette. Scatter roasted corn over the top and, if desired, add strips of grilled chicken.
Roasted corn and bitter greens saute
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat about 1 tablespoon of mild olive oil. Add a few handfuls of torn bitter greens, such as arugula or radicchio, and toss just until they wilt slightly, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper and toss again. Scatter roasted corn over the top and serve immediately.
Roasted corn and pumpkin seed side dish
In a skillet over medium heat, heat 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds, shaking the skillet often, until they pop, about 3 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.
In a bowl, combine the pumpkin seeds, 1 1/2 cups roasted corn kernels, 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, juice from 1 lime, finely chopped, seeded jalapeno chili pepper to taste or pinch ground chipotle pepper, salt to taste and 1/2 small red onion, finely chopped. Serve immediately.
Adapted from “The Candle Cafe Cookbook,” by Joy Pierson and Bart Potenza with Barbara Scott-Goodman
Lemon vinaigrette
Whisk 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice with 3 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper to taste and, if desired, 1/2 to 1 tablespoon honey or coarse-grain mustard.
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