Sweet Corn

Season: July - mid-September

Recipes:
Grilled Sweet Corn with Three Butters

Storage: 
If you can't eat it the night you get it, it's important to store fresh sweet corn properly to enjoy the most flavor. First peel off all of the husk and silk, then wrap it tightly in a plastic bag, and store in your fridge. If you leave the husk on the ears, it will leech sugars out of the kernels, and after a few days your corn will not taste as flavorful and sweet.

Longterm Storage:
Corn freezes very well. It's a little work intensive, but that extra flavor is worth it! Blanch husked and de-silked ears of corn. After the ears have cooled enough to handle, remove the kernels from the cob (corn strippers work well for this, or a sharp knife) and scoop them into a plastic freezer bag. You can also add corn to a variety of relishes to jar up and can.

Preparation:

• Sweet corn is a summertime staple. We have it for dinner most nights, when it's in season, by simply boiling it for about six minutes. However, there are plenty of ways to eat it besides boiled!
• Cut off the kernels and put them in soups, salsas, salads, or sautee with other vegetables (like succotash)
• Roast the whole ear on the grill. 

Serving Suggestions:
Instead of the usual butter, salt, and pepper, try making a compound butter. It's really easy and you can make as much or as little of it as you want. If you only need enough for two or three ears of corn, take a tablespoon of room temperature butter, add a good pinch of table salt, and a good pinch of the following ingredients: chilli powder, cumin and fresh minced garlic; minced fresh basil and grated parmesan cheese; or a squeeze of lime juice, minced fresh cilantro, and fresh minced garlic. Blend ingredients together, use immediately or store in the fridge wrapped tightly in plastic. Yum!

Nutrition
“Antioxidant phytonutrients are provided by all varieties of corn. The exact phytonutrient combination, however, depends on the variety itself. Yellow corn is richer in carotenoids, especially lutein and zeaxanthin. Blue corn has unique concentrations of anthocyanins. Purple corn provides unusual amounts of the hydroxybenzoic acid called protocatechuic acid. Ferulic acid, beta-carotene, vanillic acid, coumaric acid, caffeic acid, and syringic acid are other key phytonutrients provided by corn. Corn is a good source of energy-producing vitamin B5; heart-healthy folate and niacin; and free radical-scavenging vitamin C and manganese.” - from the “World's Healthest Foods” whfoods.com