Pick of the Crop

July 27, 2010
Denise Smith

Pocket

One of my fondest childhood summer memories is eating sweet corn-on-the-cob fresh from my grandparent’s vegetable garden. They grew all kinds of vegetables, but corn was always a family favourite. The corn was sweet, crisp and almost as good as dessert. My Nana and I would pick it, husk it and cook it, all within an hour. Summer dinners consisted primarily of vegetables, beginning with corn and ending with whatever other fresh vegetables were ready to harvest that day.

Whether you buy it from a roadside stand or your local grocery store, choose corn with dark green husks and moist stems. Because corn loses its natural sugars as soon as it is picked, it should be eaten as soon as possible. Keep it in the refrigerator if it isn’t going to be consumed that day. Whether you boil or grill it, corn is a delicious summer treat.

Here are some tips on preparation:

• To boil it, bring a large pot of water to boil, add husked cobs to the pot and cook for 4–8 minutes (depending on size, variety and sweetness).
• To cook corn in the husks, remove outer husks of the corn, pull back remaining husks and remove the silk. Replace the husks and soak cobs in water for approximately 15 minutes. Preheat grill to medium, place corn on the grill rack and cook for 15–20 minutes (or until husks are charred), turning occasionally. Once cool, peel back husks and serve with butter and salt.
• To cook corn without the husks, preheat grill to medium. Brush oil over corn cobs, place corn on grill rack and grill uncovered for 10 minutes or until corn is tender and lightly browned, turning occasionally.
• Serve corn-on-the-cob hot with a pat of butter and a squeeze of lime or a little salt.

Enjoy!