Beyond Trim

Sweet corn may be the food that best signifies that high summer is finally here. I know people that follow local growers on social media and rush to the farmstand as soon as there is corn available so they can get their fix. I don’t blame them; I love it, too!

A simple ear of corn is delicious on its own, but why not try it in other ways while it is fresh and in season? Here are two of my favorite fresh corn recipes. One is a nice cool salad that requires no cooking. The other is a simple soup that’s perfect for those occasional cooler days.

Fresh Corn Salad

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 4 ears fresh sweet corn, cut off the cob
• 1 small zucchini, sliced thin
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, cut into bite size pieces
• 10 large leaves fresh basil, cut into thin ribbons
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste

Whisk olive oil and lemon juice in bottom of large bowl. Stir in minced garlic. Add corn, zucchini, tomatoes, basil and cheese. Toss ingredients to coat in the dressing. Refrigerate. 8 servings; 150 calories per serving.

Sweet Corn Soup

• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine
• ½ cup diced sweet onion
• ½ cup diced red bell pepper
• 1 clove garlic – pressed or minced (or substitute with ½ teaspoon garlic powder)
• 4 ears of sweet corn, cooked, cleaned, and removed from cob (about 4 cups). Reserve the cob.
• 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• 2 tablespoons fresh minced herbs (basil or thyme)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add corn, corn cobs, and vegetable broth to the pot. Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 15- 20 minutes. Remove the cobs from the soup. Use an immersion blender to process the soup to desired consistency. If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can remove a portion of the soup to a blender to process and then return it to the pot. Stir in the herbs. Taste and add salt and pepper as needed. 4 servings; 182 calories per serving.

I show you tricks for using fresh sweet corn and how to prepare these recipes - plus many more - in my blog at www.whatscookingcgh.com.