Summer Food - Sweet Corn

Days 'till Memorial Day: 12

Days 'till A Little Light Magic: 13

Days 'till the Summer Solstice: 39


My summer food hall of fame continues with sweet corn. Mmmmmm.....

As a kid, my sister and I spent a lot of time before each family party shucking corn. The husk was relatively easy to get off, but the silk? Forget it. The stuff clung to the ears of corn, to our hands, to our clothes, to everything. And cooking the corn on the cob could only happen after boiling a big pot of water, which took forever. Especially if you watched the pot, lol.

I don't have that sticky problem now. I learned a nifty trick for easy steamed corn. Just strip off one layer of outer husk, and snip off the silk end with a scissors. Then just pop it in the microwave for 3 to 3 1/2 minutes per ear, depending on your microwave and how fresh the corn is (fresh corn needs a little more time).

This makes the corn steam inside the husk perfectly. Careful peeling the hot husk off - the steam can burn you! But once it's off - enjoy! Preferably with butter and salt, but plain is delicious, too, if the corn is really sweet and fresh.

You can do up to half a dozen or so ears at a time this way - but you have to increase the time for each ear. So 6 ears would be 18 - 21 minutes. If you're having a huge crowd over, you might need to resort to the old boiling or steamer pot method. But for just a few ears, microwave rules!

Here's another treat you can make with your sweet corn:


Sweet Corn Fritters

1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 teaspoons melted butter
2-1/2 cup steamed sweet corn, cut off the cob
oil for frying.

Sift flour with baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, milk and melted butter. Stir wet mixture into flour mixture. Add corn and mix with just a few strokes.

Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a frying pan until sizzling. Drop batter by a tablespoon at a time into hot oil and fry for 3 to 5 minutes, turning once. Serve hot!


Don't forget:
This week's prizes...FIVE great summer reads courtesy of the nice folks at Dorchester Publishing. Comment on any post from Monday May 11 through Saturday May 16 to enter the contest. Five winners chosen at random and posted on Sunday May 17.

• A TASTE OF MAGIC by Tracy Madison
  
• GOTCHA! by Christie Craig
  
• SIREN'S SECRET by Trish Albright
  
• THE MADNESS OF LORD IAN MACKENZIE by Jennifer Ashley
  
• DEEP MAGIC by Joy Nash

See ya tomorrow!

Joy Nash
www.joynash.com



Coming May 26!

A Little Light Magic

Summer at the Jersey Shore has never been so hot!