Corn on the Cob

Preparation

1. Cooking Corn on the Cob: Boiling

   Step 1

   In a large pot of boiling water, cook very tender young ears of shucked corn just until hot, a minute or less, and more mature ears no more than 3 to 5 minutes.

2. Steaming

   Step 2

   Remove the coarse outer husks, leaving the silk and more tender inner husks in place. (The husks help steam the kernels.) In a steamer on the stovetop, place the ears uncrowded in a single layer or standing upright. Depending on the size of the steamer and how closely the corn is packed, steam for 5 to 10 minutes, until the corn is hot and tender. In a microwave oven, you can steam one or two ears of corn at a time. Cook unshucked ears at the highest setting for about 2 minutes per ear. After steaming, most of the silk will come off when you peel back the husks.

3. Grilling

   Step 3

   Choose large ears of corn with plump kernels. Grill right on the rack about 4 inches above glowing coals. Turn several times during cooking. Grill bare ears for 3 to 5 minutes and unshucked ears for 8 to 10 minutes.

4. Corn on the Cob Toppings

   Step 4

   Boil, steam, or grill the corn and then slather on a topping:

   Step 5

   Flavored Butter (page 236)

   Step 6

   Chipotle Mayonnaise (page 223)

   Step 7

   Red Pepper Butter Sauce (page 247)

5. Tex-Mex Style

   Step 8

   Spread mayonnaise on the hot corn and then dribble on (or drench with) Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce, and lime juice and sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

6. Chesapeake Bay Style

   Step 9

   Stir Old Bay Seasoning and lemon juice into melted butter or oil.

7. Spicy Topping

   Step 10

   Stir lime or lemon juice and a pinch of cayenne into melted butter or olive oil.

   Step 11

   Use your favorite barbecue sauce straight from the bottle.

   Step 12

   Try equal parts maple syrup and melted butter, with minced canned chipotles in adobo sauce (see page 286) stirred in.

   Step 13

   Stir freshly grated orange zest and chili powder or Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce into melted butter.

8. Serving & menu ideas

   Step 14

   Of course, corn on the cob is always the star of the backyard summer supper. Next time, make the usual picnic dishes, but with a twist: Chipotle Potato Salad (page 216) and Pan-Asian Slaw (page 212) and one of the corn on the cob toppings new to you. Corn on the cob is also great in unexpected combinations: Follow Indonesian Sweet Potato & Cabbage Soup (page 122) with a big platter of corn on the cob with lime.