Carmen Long
Simply Delicious
Freedom to choose what, how, and when we eat is such a blessing. Sometimes we may not have exactly what we would like in our pantry, cabinets, or refrigerator, but thankfully in the United States we have a plentiful food supply, and most Americans are not going hungry. For many of us, the challenge is to not eat too much. More isn’t necessarily better when it comes to food, unless it is some of those delicious in season fruits and vegetables.
Nothing says summer like fresh sweet corn. Lengthy family discussions have occurred about the “right way” to eat corn on the cob. Side-to-side or around – which do you prefer?
Corn is delicious and versatile but is a higher carbohydrate vegetable and one we need to enjoy in moderation. The carbohydrates in one cup of corn (27 g) are equal to the carbs in about a quart of green beans (7 g per cup). I recently cut cooked corn off of the cob and was surprised at the amount from one ear. The quantity was significantly more than the normal serving of corn I would put on my plate.
Corn can be grilled, roasted, steamed, boiled, microwaved to be eaten from the cob, or cut off and used in countless recipes. No matter how you eat it, be conscious of every bite and savor the flavor. Follow these tips to make sure your corn is delicious.
Shopping Tips
Cool is key in keeping corn fresh after it is picked. As corn warms up, the sugar in the kernels turns to starch so it won’t be as sweet. Ideally, corn should be picked the morning it is purchased. If you are shopping at your local farmer’s market, shop early in the day and select corn displayed in the shade or on ice for best quality and flavor. At the grocery store, select corn displayed in a refrigerated bin. Take an ice chest when you shop to keep the corn cold until you get home.
The husks on fresh corn will be green and tight. Pull back a piece of the husk to make sure the kernels fill the ear but are smaller at the end. Large kernels at the end may mean the corn is overripe. Milky juice should come from a kernel when you break it with your fingernail. The silk on fresh corn is a light golden color, moist and soft.
Storage Tips
If corn is still in the husk, leave it that way to keep it moist. If it has already been husked, store the corn in a perforated plastic bag. Keep refrigerated to help prevent sugar loss. Cook corn sooner rather than later after it is picked for optimum flavor. If you have more than you can use within a couple of days, cook the corn for two minutes to stop the sugar from turning into starch. Cool and refrigerate. Drop the ears into boiling water and finish cooking when you are ready to eat.
Preserving Tips
Corn is one vegetable I like to freeze if there is enough space in the freezer. The processing time for canning corn is so long, that safe canning often turns the color brown and not very appetizing. In our area, whole kernel corn must be processed for 55 minutes for pints and 85 minutes for quarts at 11 pounds of pressure in a dial gauge canner and at 15 pounds of pressure in a weighted gauge.
For more information on canning corn, call Cooperative Extension at 336-401-8025 or go to the National Center for Home Food Preservation at http://nchfp.uga.edu.
Freezing corn is much quicker than canning. The instructions from the National Center for Home Food preservation are as follows:
Freezing Corn
- Preparation – Select only tender, freshly-gathered corn in the milk stage. Husk and trim the ears, remove silks and wash.
- Corn-on-the-cob – Water blanch small ears (1¼ inches or less in diameter) 7 minutes, medium ears (1¼ to 1½ inches in diameter) 9 minutes, and large ears (over 1½ inches in diameter) 11 minutes. Cool promptly and completely to prevent a “cobby” taste. Drain and package. Seal and freeze.
- Whole Kernel Corn – Water blanch 4 minutes. Cool promptly, drain and cut from cob. Cut kernels from cob about 2/3 the depth of the kernels. Package, leaving ½-inch headspace. Seal and freeze.
- Cream Style Corn – Water blanch 4 minutes. Cool promptly and drain. Cut kernel tips and scrape the cobs with the back of a knife to remove the juice and the heart of the kernel. Package, leaving ½-inch headspace. Seal and freeze.
- Another way to prepare cream style corn for freezing is to cut and scrape the corn from the cob without blanching. Place the cut corn in a double boiler, and heat with constant stirring for about 10 minutes or until it thickens; allow to cool by placing the pan in ice water. Package in moisture-vapor resistant containers, leaving ½-inch headspace. Seal and freeze.
Black Bean and Corn Salsa
Ingredients
- 1 (16-ounce) jar salsa
- 1 (15.5-ounce) can low-sodium black beans,
- drained and rinsed
- 11/2 cups fresh corn cut off the cob (can substitute reduced sodium canned corn rinsed and drained)
- 2 cups of chopped fresh tomatoes or 1 (14.4-ounce) can low-sodium chopped tomatoes, drained
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or 1 teaspoon dried (parsley may be substituted)
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a medium-size bowl.
- Cover and chill for 30 minutes before serving.
- Serve with chips or as a vegetarian side dish.
Sources:
North Carolina Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP)
So Easy to Preserve
The Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition
NC Expanded Food
Nutrition Program (EFNEPP)
USDA
