sweet corn
Does it get any better than Indiana sweet corn? I think not (although I feel like I say that about quite a few vegetables…what can I say? I love me some produce!). Grant and I had a little miscommunication with our farmer’s market runs last weekend and winded up with two dozen ears of sweet corn from My Dad’s Corn (delicious!). A nice problem to have if you ask me.
I decided to try out some new recipes to use up all of that yumminess…
Spicy sweet corn dip
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse
Ingredients
2 tbsp butter
Corn kernels from four ears freshly steamed/grilled sweet corn
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup finely chopped yellow onions
1 chopped sweet pepper
1 jalapeno, chopped (I left the seeds in for some extra kick)
1/2 cup homemade garlic mayonnaise
4 ounces queso chihuahua (or monterey jack), shredded
4 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (note: I made this ahead and put in the fridge to serve the next evening, and it turned out great).
2. Melt one tablespoon of butter in a small pan (I used my cast iron skillet and baked the whole dip in the skillet). Saute the corn, salt and pepper until the corn browns – about five minutes.
3. Transfer the corn to a bowl. Melt the remaining butter in the pan and add the onions and peppers. I like the onions and peppers a bit on the crunchy side, so I only cooked them for about two minutes.
4. Remove from heat. Add the corn back into the pan of onions and peppers, as well as the jalepeno, cayenne pepper, queso chihuahua and mayonnaise. Stir until combined.
5. Sprinkle the cheddar on top and bake for 10 – 15 minutes. Serve with tortilla or corn chips.
Black Bean and Corn Salsa
A Sara original
I made a huge batch of this on Thursday, and we ate it all weekend long. It makes a perfect snack for the pool or lake. Feel free to make vegetable substitutions based on what you have on hand.
Ingredients
1 pound black beans, cooked
Corn kernels from eight ears of grilled sweet corn
1 red onion, diced
2 sweet peppers, diced
2 medium-sized tomatoes, chopped (when I make this outside of tomato season, I use canned diced tomatoes, but it doesn’t taste nearly as good)
2 jalapenos, seeded and diced finely
Small bunch of cilantro, chopped
Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup white wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tbsp honey
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Combine the ingredients for the dressing a glass jar with a lid and shake thoroughly until combined. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and top with the dressing. Stir gently to combine. I think the “salsa” gets better with age, so try to let it set for at least an hour before serving if possible.
There was still more corn, so I cooked up the rest, shucked it, and froze it in two cup portions. I plan to use them this winter when I’m desperately missing Indiana summer. I have my eyes on this recipe for Thanksgiving!
