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Arts & Entertainment

Nothing Says Summer Like Sweet Corn

Corn on the cob gets an elegant touch with herb butter.

Sweet-corn is synonymous for summer, in my opinion. And the smaller the kernels, the better it tastes to me.

I am an Indiana girl at heart, despite living half my life in different places around the country. One of my favorite summer memories is my dad pulling into the driveway after work with a large bag of fresh corn-on-the-cob that he picked up on the way home. Sometimes it came from the produce stand, sometimes it came from the farmer selling it from the back of his pickup truck along the road.

My dad would pull the beautiful, white corn from the crisp green husks. The corn would come into the house, get dropped into boiling water and we waited for what seemed like an eternity to a small child. Butter and salt was all the adornment that fresh corn needed. Thus began my love affair with corn-on-the-cob.

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As an adult, living in Seattle, we had friends who grilled corn. Occasionally, they grilled it in the husk but more times than not, it was individually wrapped in foil and coated in butter and sprinkled with herbs. That corn turned out perfect every time.

I recently picked up locally-grown corn from the Dardenne Prairie Produce Market. The corn was bi-colored, meaning the kernels were a combination of yellow and white. All the ears were in perfect condition and the corn was sweet and tender.

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I have boiled corn with the following method for years. The grilled corn with herb butter recipe comes from a combination of trial and error plus a quick search on the internet for grilling times.

If you grill corn in the husks, remove the silk and excess husk with scissors. Soak the corn in a tub of water for a minimum of 60 minutes. The corn can then be grilled on well-oiled grates for about 30 minutes on medium-high heat with minimal burning or flare-ups.

Leftover corn on the cob can be scraped off the cob and put into the refrigerator or freezer for later use. The leftover corn can be added to soup, salsa or cornbread batter. One friend’s mother adds it to pancake and waffle batter. I have tasted it that way and the results are incredible.

Perfect Corn-on-the-Cob Method

Bring a large pot of water to boiling. Add a pinch of white table sugar. Place corn into the boiling water, cover and boil for five minutes then turn off the heat. The corn can sit for about ten minutes in the hot water without becoming tough.

Grilled Corn with Herb Butter

  • 6 large sheets of foil
  • 6 ears fresh corn, husked and silks removed
  • 6 tablespoons salted butter, softenend
  • 6 tablespoons fresh chopped herbs (tarragon, basil, oregano, chives or rosemary work well)
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
  • In a small bowl, combine the butter, herbs and garlic.
  • Place each ear of corn on a foil sheet, spread the top of the corn with 1/6 of the butter mixture and wrap tightly.

Grill corn in foil for about 13 minutes, rolling frequently. Pierce the corn (through the foil) in several places to test for tenderness.

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