By Jessi Myers
Iowa is known for corn. Most Iowans look forward to sweet corn season and can’t wait to pick up a dozen from their favorite Farmers market vendor or roadside pickup truck. According to Iowacorn.org, only one percent of the corn grown in the United States is sweet corn, which also comprises only one percent of Iowa’s corn crop. No wonder it’s exciting when it’s available August to early October.
Sweet corn can be boiled, grilled, steamed, oven-roasted or cooked in a slow cooker. What then though?
One recipe to consider is Elote or Mexican street corn. This can be made on the cob or remove kernals and serve as a dish. Elote doesn’t require specific measurements – everything can be added to taste. Cook corn using your preferred method. Brush with melted butter when it’s done. Mix sour cream or greek yogurt and mayonnaise and spread it on the corn. Then add chili powder, cayenne pepper and chopped cilantro, and finish it with your choice of cotija cheese or queso fresco and a few squeezes of lime.
Whether you want to get adventurous with flavors, or prefer tried and true, freezing corn can extend your access to the tasty treat.
In a blog post for the Iowa State Extension, Liz Meimann gave the following tips:
“Whole kernel corn: can be frozen by blanching the kernels before removing them from the cob. Blanch the corn for 4½ minutes, cool in ice water, and then cut the kernels from the cobs.
Cream style corn: follow the above directions but only cut the kernel tips. Next scrape the cobs with the back of a knife to remove the heart of the kernel and form some “cream”.
Corn on the cob: Blanch the ears for the time listed. Cool the cobs in ice water. Cooling the corn requires a longer time than blanching: small ears (1¼-inch diameter) for 7 minutes, medium ears (1¼-1½-inch diameter) for 9 minutes, large ears (over 1½-inch diameter) for 11 minutes.
Stop by the Clear Lake Farmers Market in the Surf parking lot for corn and many other locally-grown vegetables. Farmers market is held Saturdays 9am-noon through Oct 17th.
