Local corn is as good as it gets

(Take advantage of local corn in season/Spencer Ainsley photo/Poughkeepsie Journal file)

Driving along country roads in the valley, one is certain to spy a farm stand selling fresh local corn. I stopped at one recently that had the honor system of paying - take what you want and leave the money in a little locked box. Oh, how I love the summer season of local produce!

There was a time when we had a garden that bordered on being a small farm, and M and I grew our own corn. Walking through the rows of this majestic crop was such a thrill. We would sit outside at the picnic table on a warm August night, glass of wine in hand, and say we were watching the corn grow. It's true; corn seems to grow right before your eyes in the thick of the season. And before we even picked a few ears for supper, we would set the pot of water on to boil and then run out to garden to harvest what we would eat that night. Fresh corn is so good, and the Hudson Valley has to grow some of the very best.

(Farmers markets are brimming with local corn/Karl Rabe/Poughkeepsie Journal file)

But corn does take a bit of room to grow in a backyard garden, so these days I am happy to shop at one of our neighboring highway stands. Use freshly picked corn right away, because as it sits, the sugars develop into starch and it's easy to loose that freshly picked taste.

Today's Busy Cook in the Poughkeepsie Journal features recipes using fresh corn, including Creamed Corn and Grilled Corn with Tequila-Lime Butter. There were so many recipes, I saved some for here.

I also had to rerun one of my favorite recipes I made last year when local corn was peaking. I included fresh zucchini with corn to make fritters that were crunchy good and full of flavor, and made an Indian variation of tzatziki sauce for dipping. I can't tell you how good this is. I adapted it from "Indian Home Cooking" by Suvir Saran and Stephanie Lyness, one of my favorite Indian cookbooks. It's a perfect complement to the fritters and would be good as a dressing on a salad or as a dip with crackers and raw veggies.


The recipes for Cheesy Corn Fritters, Corn and Black Bean Salsa and Mexican Corn Salad are from McClatchy-Tribune.

So the next time you're cruising the back roads, pull over and pick up some local corn. It's best eaten straight off the cob or use it in any of the following recipes. Buy extra, grill it and remove the kernels from the cobs to store in the freezer for future recipes. You can never get too much of a good thing.

Zucchini Pachadi

1. 2 cups plain low-fat yogurt
2. 1 medium zucchini, grated, sprinkled with a pinch of salt
3. 2 fresh hot chili peppers, such as long hots or serrano, seeded and chopped
4. 1 tablespoon fresh coriander leaves, chopped
5. 1 clove fresh garlic, minced
6. 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
7. 
For the tempering oil:
8. 1 teaspoon vegetable or canola oil
9. 1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
10. 12 fresh curry leaves (find them at Krishna Grocery on Route 9 in Poughkeepsie)
11. 3 whole dried red chilies
12. 1/2 teaspoon asafetida
13. Dash of salt

• Squeeze the excess water from the zucchini.
• Mix the yogurt in a bowl with the grated zucchini, chopped chili pepper, coriander, lemon zest and garlic.
• Set aside.
• Combine the oil, mustard seeds, dried red chili peppers, curry leaves and asafetida in a small skillet over medium-high heat.
• Cook, stirring for about 1 to 2 minutes (cover the pan, as the mustard seeds will splatter when they get hot).
• Pour the seasoned oil over the yogurt mixture and stir in the salt.
• Serve as a topping with these awesome zucchini fritters.

Zucchini-Corn-Feta Fritters

1. 1 large zucchini, grated and sprinkled with a pinch of salt
2. 2 large shallots, minced
3. 1 medium carrot, grated
4. 1 cup roasted corn kernels
5. 1/3 cup crumbled feta
6. 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
7. Generous sprig of fresh dill, chopped
8. 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
9. 2 eggs, beaten
10. 1/3 cup flour
11. Salt and pepper, to taste

• Squeeze excess water from zucchini; combine it in a large bowl with the shallots, corn, carrot, eggs, flour, herbs, nuts and feta cheese. Mix well.
• Heat enough oil in a cast iron skillet to about 1/4 inch.
• Drop the pancake batter by the tablespoonful into the oil; watch out for exploding corn kernels.
• Fry until golden brown on each side (about 2-3 minutes per side).
• Drain on a brown paper bag.
• Work in batches; keep the pancakes warm in a 300-degree oven until they are all made.
• Serve warm or at room temperature with the pachadi.

Cheesy Corn Fritters

Makes 30-36

1. 1 1/2 cups flour
2. 1/2 cup coarse cornmeal
3. 1 tablespoon baking powder
4. 1/2 teaspoon salt
5. 1/4 cup sugar
6. 2 eggs, beaten
7. 1 teaspoon saffron threads soaked in 2 tablespoons water
8. 1 cup buttermilk
9. 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese
10. 1/4 cup butter, melted
11. 1 1/2 cups whole kernel corn
12. Vegetable oil for deep frying
13. Optional garnish: Truffle salt
    

• Stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and sugar.
• Combine the eggs, buttermilk and saffron. Fold in dry ingredients. Stir in the melted butter, cheese and finally the corn.
• Meanwhile, heat vegetable oil until very hot. Drop fritter mixture into the hot oil by tablespoons, being careful about spatter. Deep fry about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Corn and Black Bean Salsa

Makes about 3 cups

1. 2 ears corn
2. 1 cup black beans
3. 1 medium tomato, seeded and diced
4. 1/4 medium red onion, finely diced
5. 1 jalapeno, seeds and veins removed, finely diced
6. 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh cilantro
7. 2 tablespoons of lime juice
8. 2 teaspoons olive oil
9. 1/2 teaspoon cumin
10. Salt to taste

• Boil corn for 1 minute and cool under running water.
• Cut off kernels and place in a bowl with remaining ingredients. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Serve this hearty salsa at room temperature or chilled.

Source: Marge Poore, “1000 Mexican Recipes” (Wiley 2001)

Mexican Corn Salad

Serves 4-6

This is an adaptation of elotes, the popular Mexican street food that features grilled corn on the cob, brushed with lime-spiked mayonnaise and garnished with chili powder and cotija cheese. When the kernels are off the cob, the mixture is called esquites. Here, red bell pepper and green onion provide a pop of color and a little added crunch.

1. 4 ears of corn, boiled for 1 minute and cooled
2. 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped
3. 2 small green onions, chopped (both white and green parts)
4. 1/4 cup mayonnaise
5. 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
6. 1/2 teaspoon or more chili powder
7. 1/4 cup crumbled cotija or Parmesan cheese

• Cut kernels from cobs and place in a bowl with diced red pepper and green onions.
• Add mayonnaise, lime juice and chili powder and toss with vegetables.
• Stir in cheese and serve at room temperature, or chill for 2 to 4 hours before serving.