BY JENNIFER KORNEGAY / Food/Photography BY BROOKE ECHOLS
Southern summers are synonymous with an abundance of fresh fruits and veggies, and while its arrival may not be as celebrated as that of popular produce like tomatoes or peaches, corn is an undeniable staple down here. This reliable standard is at its peak right now, and summer is when we enjoy it in its purest state, sometimes only hours or days off the stalk and mere minutes after shucking frees it from its husk and slippery silk. It may be basic, but hot corn on the cob, slick with melted butter and a sprinkling of salt is an essential element of a backyard, lakefront or beachside cookout.
But you can do so much more with fresh corn. Cut off the kernels and cook over high heat with some bacon grease in cast iron to create fried corn. Stir some cream in with the little niblets of sunshine, and you’ve got creamed corn, a rich addition to a veggie plate. Toss them raw with a little mayo (and/or sour cream), sliced scallions, salt and pepper, plus herbs and seasonings of your choice for a cold corn salad. You can even add it to your dessert menu. Sweet corn makes a deliciously light and natural-tasting ice cream.
And corn is not relegated to a single season. It’s important in the Southern kitchen year-round in the forms of cornmeal and grits, and advances in both freezing and canning mean that you can get pretty decent raw corn anytime you want. All this use of and access to corn is a good thing because it contains some valuable nutrients. Corn is high in fiber and rich in vitamins A, B and C and also adds to your iron intake.
You likely already have some tasty uses for corn, but check out this month’s reader-submitted recipes for a few new ways to incorporate even more of it into your eating itinerary.
Cook of the Month: Laura Hardy, Wiregrass EC
Laura Hardy has been making this colorful, flavorful fresh corn dish for years but finally gave it a name when she decided to submit it to the magazine. “Every time I make it, it just looks like a party,” she says. And, the first time she made it, she was searching for a side to go with homemade chimichangas. “I had all these vegetables from my garden and had family coming over for dinner and needed a side dish, so I just cut everything up, roasted it, and it smelled so amazing,” she says. Now, she pairs it with all kinds of entrees like barbecue, grilled meats and fish. And she keeps making it because it’s tasty, but also because it usually yields leftovers than can be easily transformed into a whole new dish. “You can use it as a filling to stuff anything or spoon it into wonton wrappers to make eggrolls,” she says. Laura also sometimes embellishes it with a ranch drizzle made from one cup sour cream, a half cup of bottled ranch dressing with a pinch or two of cumin and cayenne pepper. She also loves how well it highlights corn. “This dish lets it stand out while complementing the other ingredients,” she says.
Corn Fiesta
- 3 ears sweet corn (bi-color works great)
- 1 chayote squash, peeled
- 2 large zucchini squash, do not peel
- 1/2 pint grape tomatoes
- 2 cloves garlic
- 10 mini sweet peppers, cored to remove seeds
- 1 small green bell pepper, cored
- 1 small eggplant, peeled
- 2 large carrots, peeled
- 1 medium sweet onion, peeled
- Olive oil
- Fine sea salt and black pepper
Slice all vegetables except corn, tomatoes and garlic into one-inch pieces. Toss all with oil, salt and pepper and place in sheet pan. Rub corn and tomatoes with oil and scatter tomatoes, placing corn in center of tray. Chop garlic into ¼-inch pieces and place under veggies. Roast at 375 degrees for 45 minutes until veggie edges are browning and they are tender crisp. Butter corn when cooked. Cool slightly and scrape corn off cob. Chop veggies into ¼-inch pieces and toss with corn.
Laura Hardy, Wiregrass EC
Easy Corn Fritters
- 3 eggs, separated
- 1 2/3 cups fresh corn kernels (about 3 ears of corn)
- ¼ cup flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
Beat egg whites in a glass or metal bowl until stiff peaks form. Stir together corn, egg yolks, flour, salt and cayenne pepper in a large bowl, then fold in egg whites. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Working in batches of 4, drop 2 tablespoons corn mixture per fritter into oil without crowding skillet. Cook until golden brown on underside, about 2 minutes. Gently flip fritters over and cook until golden brown and cooked through, 2-3 minutes more.
Eva Wright
North Alabama EC
Mama’s Creamed Corn
- 10 cobs of corn (we like Silver King)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon white (or black) pepper
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Scrape corn cobs down and put in a large pot with heavy cream, butter, salt, white pepper and sugar. In a small bowl, blend the milk and flour. Stir the two mixtures together and cook over medium heat until thickened, stirring often. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese.
Glenda Weigel
Baldwin EMC
Mexican Corn
- 6 ears of corn
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1/4 cup crumbled queso fresco cheese
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- Vegetable oil
- 3 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoon sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon chili power
- Dash of cayenne pepper
- Salt and pepper
Preheat grill to direct high heat. Brush corn with vegetable oil. Put corn and bell pepper on the grill, turning every 3 minutes until slightly charred on all sides. Cool and chop bell pepper and cut corn off the cob. In a medium bowl, combine corn kernels, bell pepper, mayo, sour cream, lime juice, chili powder and cayenne pepper. Garnish with queso fresco and chopped cilantro. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Kirk Vantrease
Cullman EC
Corn on the Cob with Basil & Butter
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons basil
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 ears corn
Heat oven to 350-400 degrees. Place ears on individual pieces of tin foil large enough to wrap around the ear. Stir together ingredients and pour over corncobs. Bake for about 20 minutes.
Memory Bush
South Alabama EC
Corn Pudding
- 4 large eggs, beaten
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 1/3 cups milk
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 cups white or yellow corn (fresh or frozen)
Mix flour, salt and sugar with corn; add beaten eggs. Stir in milk and butter. Be sure eggs are mixed well with other ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until you have a good, firm custard-look to your dish.
Annie Fossett
North Alabama EC
Scalloped Corn
- 2 cups fresh corn kernels
- Dash of pepper
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- ½ teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons diced pimento
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup cracker crumbs
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup buttered cracker crumbs
Combine corn, pimento, butter, dry mustard, salt and pepper. Beat egg slightly and add in milk and cracker crumbs. Combine egg mixture to corn mixture. Mix well and put in buttered shallow baking dish. Top with buttered cracker crumbs. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes. Serves 6.
LaCretia Bevel
North Alabama EC
Easy Corn and Tomato Relish
- 3 ears corn
- 1 large tomato, peeled and chopped
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 jalapeño
- 1 teaspoon salt
Cut the kernels off the fresh corn. Peel and chop tomato. Finely chop jalapeño (seeds removed) to measure 1 tablespoon. Add olive oil to a pan over medium heat, and add corn kernels. Cook until lightly browned. Lower heat and add tomato, salt and jalapeño. Cook for about 3 minutes. Turn off heat. Serve at room temperature. Will store in the fridge for two days.
Shari Lowery
Pioneer EC
Pro Tip
Removing corn from the cob can be a mess. Have a bundt pan? Put it to work to contain the mess. No pan, no problem. Place a small bowl with a good flat bottom upside down in a larger bowl. Place your shucked ear of corn, flat side down, on top of the small bowl’s bottom. Carefully run a sharp knife down two to three rows of the corn, getting close to the cob, and cut the corn kernels off. They’ll just fall down the sides of the small bowl and be collected in the larger bowl. Repeat until you’ve cut the corn off of all sides.
Coming up in September… BBQ!
It’s time to spice up our recipe selection and you could be a winner! We are looking for fresh, creative recipes from readers just like you. In addition to our monthly Cook of the Month prize, beginning in January, all cooks who submit a recipe will automatically be entered into a drawing to win a gift basket full of Alabama Living merchandise. Take a look at our upcoming themes and send in your favorite recipes today!
Themes and Deadlines
October: Pumpkin | Aug. 8
November: Nuts | Sept. 8
December: Party Foods | Oct 8
Submit your recipe here.
Editor’s Note: Alabama Living’s recipes are submitted by our readers. They are not kitchen-tested by a professional cook or registered dietician. If you have special dietary needs, please check with your doctor or nutritionist before preparing any recipe.
