It's Finally Corn Season!

We can thank the Mayans for the crop that is now the third largest grown in the world for human consumption. The Native Americans educated pilgrims on how to grow Maize, as they called it. Hundreds of years later, Southern cuisine wouldn’t have been the same without it. Not only do we rely on corn for our all-important staple of grits, we like to cream it, fry it, eat it raw in salads, and add it to stews. Keep the husks attached to use as handles with eating corn on the cob. Use a clean toothbrush to gently remove silks from the kernels.

Choose corn with silks that are blonde. The silks darken as the corn ages. Most shoppers check the plumpness of the kernels by peeling back the husks to see the kernels. It’s best to leave on the husks to keep the corn as moist as possible. If you can give the corn a squeeze and see if the kernels are plump, try that method.

Corn should be cooked as soon as possible after picking because the sugars convert to starch very quickly. Store up to one day in the refrigerator in an open bag.

Corn-and-Crab Chowder

My family and I love to stop at our favorite roadside stand for fresh Silver Queen corn on the way to the beach. It doesn’t take long to simmer the sweet kernels with fresh-from-the-Atlantic crabs for a summer soup tradition.

MAKES 10 CUPS 

HANDS-ON 20 MINUTES 

TOTAL 1 HOUR, 15 MINUTES

6 bacon slices

2 celery ribs, diced

1 medium-size green bellpepper, diced

1 medium onion, diced

1 jalapeño pepper, seededand diced

1 (32-oz.) container chickenbroth

3 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

3 cups fresh corn kernels(about 6 ears)

1 lb. fresh lump crabmeat,drained and picked freeof shell*

1 cup whipping cream

1⁄4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1⁄2 tsp. table salt

1⁄4 tsp. freshly ground blackpepper

Oyster crackers

Garnish: chopped freshcilantro

1. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes

or until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels,

reserving 2 tablespoons drippings in Dutch oven. Crumble bacon.

2. Sauté celery and next 3 ingredients in hot drippings 5 to

6 minutes or until tender. Whisk together broth and flour until

smooth. Add to celery mixture. Stir in corn. Bring to a boil;

reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes.

Gently stir in crabmeat and next 4 ingredients; cook 4 to

5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve warm with crumbled

bacon and oyster crackers.

*1 pound peeled cooked shrimp or chopped cooked chicken may

be substituted.

Creamed Corn

Real creamed corn should be milky, creamy, and perfectly salty. If the corn isn’t the freshest possible, you may need to add a little water at a time as it cooks to keep it from drying out. 

MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS 

HANDS-ON 40 MINUTES 

TOTAL 40 MINUTES

13 ears fresh corn, husked

1⁄4 to 1⁄2 cup heavy cream

1 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1⁄2 tsp. table salt

1⁄8 tsp. freshly ground blackpepper

Minced chives (optional)

1. Cut kernels from cobs to yield 6 cups; discard cobs. Cook

kernels in a small Dutch oven over low heat, stirring often, about

30 minutes or until corn is tender. (To prevent corn from drying

out, add up to 10 tablespoons water, 1 tablespoon at a time as

needed, during last 15 minutes of cook time.)

2. Stir in cream and butter, and cook, stirring occasionally, about

5 minutes or until mixture reaches desired consistency. Stir in

salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chives, if desired.

Balsamic Corn Salad

When corn is at its peak, there are few things better. With just a simple dressing, a colorful and bright side dish is created. This salad can be made ahead, so it’s ideal for warm weather parties and picnics. The light hue of white balsamic vinegar keeps the colors vibrant.

MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS 

HANDS-ON 14 MINUTES 

TOTAL 4 HOURS, 44 MINUTES

1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

31⁄2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 8 ears)

1⁄4 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar

1⁄2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1⁄4 tsp. table salt

1⁄8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 cup diced tomatoes

1 cup packed arugula

1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat in a large sauté

pan. Add corn kernels; cook 4 minutes, stirring often. Cool to

room temperature.

2. Whisk together 1⁄4 cup olive oil and next 4 ingredients until

combined.

3. Transfer cooled corn to a medium bowl. Add tomatoes.

Pour dressing over mixture, and stir well. Chill for 4 hours.

Add arugula just before serving.

Photo by Iain Bagwell from The Southern Vegetable Book by Rebecca Lang (Oxmoor House, 2016).

Copyright 2016 Rebecca Lang. All rights reserved. 

Please visit rebeccalangcooks.com for more information. 

Fennel Love

Add fennel to weeknight meals for a hint of fresh springtime flavor. A cousin of parsley, fennel is a slow growing crisp bulb that is reminisce of anise is normally purchased whole complete with feathery fronds and a very long stem. Larger fennel bulbs are often more tender than smaller, skinnier ones. Garnish with fennel flowers and use the fronds like you would dill.  

Choose fennel that is firm with no wilting and cut the fronds off the bulbs before storing. The core on the bottom of the bulb should be tender when pressed. Store the bulbs separate from the fronds in an open bag for up to one week in the refrigerator.

Skirt Steak with Fennel Slaw

Fennel brings a light and bright flavor to a grilled skirt steak. Skirt steak is packed with flavor and is super-tender after marinating. It’s a mainstay at our house. Try adding corn tortillas on the grill for impromptu tacos.

Serves 4

Steak

1/3 cup red wine vinegar

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. table salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 lb. skirt steak

Fennel Slaw

1 1/4 cups thinly sliced fennel bulb

1/4 cup sliced green onions

2 Tbsp. thinly sliced celery

1 Tbsp. mayonnaise

2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

1 tsp. diced jalapeño pepper

1 tsp. red wine vinegar

1/8 tsp. table salt

1/8 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Prepare Steak: Preheat grill to 350° to 400°F (medium-high)

heat. In a large zip-top plastic bag, combine the vinegar, olive oil,

garlic, mustard, salt, and pepper. Shake to combine. Add steak to

the bag, seal bag, and marinate 30 minutes. Remove steak from

marinade, discarding marinade.

Grill steak, turning once, 10 minutes for medium-rare. Let

steak rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Prepare Fennel Slaw: Combine all ingredients. Chill until

ready to serve.

Slice each strip of steak in half to make 2 shorter strips. Slice

down the long side (across the grain) of each strip to create

1/2-inch-thick slices. Serve with slaw.

All photos by Iain Bagwell from The Southern Vegetable Book by Rebecca Lang (Oxmoor House, 2016).

Copyright 2016 Rebecca Lang. All rights reserved. 

Please visit rebeccalangcooks.com for more information.