’tis the season, as they say, for summer corn. From now until the end of September, you’re getting the best of the bushel. Yes, you can throw corn right on the grill where it’s so sweet you won’t even need the butter. Or, you can get a bit more creative which is where we come in. Meet your new favorite corn recipes this summer.
Some foods just taste like Summer. A juicy tomato sprinkled with salt. A bowl of ripe stone fruit. And of course, a buttery, barely-charred cob of corn. As good as it is in its simplest form, there are countless ways to maximize corn’s flavor. Here we’re sharing our favorite Summer corn recipes, from the best-grilled salad to a creamy bisque.
Corn & Grilled Shishito Salad
Ingredients
2 ears fresh corn, kernels removed
1 tbsp salted butter
6 oz shishito peppers
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
A handful of cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
Zest and juice of 1 lime
1 tsp honey (optional)
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp smoked paprika
Salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
¼ cup crumbled cotija
1 avocado, sliced
Directions
Begin with your shishito peppers. If you can’t find shishitos, jalapenos, and poblanos also work as replacements. On a grill, or cast iron skillet over high heat, arrange the peppers in a single layer. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of olive oil, then sprinkle with a bit of salt. Let the peppers sear for about 3 minutes without moving, then toss to coat with the oil and salt. Cook for an additional 3-5 minutes, or until the skin is deeply blistered. Remove from the pan, and set aside to cool.
In the same pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add your minced garlic, toasting until soft and fragrant. Next, toss in the corn kernels and increase heat to medium-high. Cook for about 5 minutes– you don’t want a deep char here, just a bit of color on some of the kernels.
While the corn cooks, make the dressing. In a medium bowl, combine the lime zest and juice, minced shallot, remaining olive oil, chili powder, paprika, salt, pepper, and honey, if using. Set aside until you’re ready to serve.
Once the peppers are cooled, discard the stems and slice them into small chunks. In a large serving bowl, toss together the chopped shishitos, corn, and avocado with the dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and garnish with cilantro and cotija.
Corn Bisque with Lump Crab
Ingredients
4 ears of corn, kernels removed from cobs
3 tbsp salted butter
A pinch of whole peppercorns
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
A pinch of cayenne
1 large leek, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
To Garnish (optional)
Jumbo lump crab
Sliced jalapenos
Sliced avocados
Cilantro
Directions
In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, add the chicken broth, corn cobs (kernels removed and set aside), peppercorns, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Take off the heat and let cool slightly, then blend with an immersion blender, or carefully transfer to a standing blender. Puree until smooth, then strain through a fine sieve, pressing with a rubber spatula to get all the contents out. Discard any solids, and set the broth aside.
Clean out the Dutch oven and place the broth back on the stove over medium heat. Add the butter, olive oil, leeks, shallot, and garlic. Saute until tender, about 5-7 minutes. Next, add the corn kernels and saute for an additional 5 minutes, allowing the corn to soften slightly.
Add your reserved broth to the pot, along with a pinch each of salt, pepper, and cayenne. Let simmer for 25 minutes. Once it’s done simmering, puree the soup, again with either an immersion or standing blender. If using a regular blender, make sure to let the soup cool slightly before pouring it in. Blend until fully smooth, then turn the heat to low and add the heavy cream. Stir until the cream is incorporated, and adjust the seasoning to taste.
To serve, ladle your bisque into bowls. Top with desired garnishes– we like doing a few pieces of lump crab, jalapenos, avocado slices, and cilantro.
