We are now in the fullness of summer and I am at it again: going to all the local farmers markets and farm orchards and buying more fresh produce than I can possibly use.
I am my mother’s daughter here. One summer, when our little family was at the beach for our annual vacation, my mother returned from her daily trip to the roadside produce stand with an entire basket of cantaloupes. It wasn’t a small basket. After consuming melon at every meal for the better part of a week, we began voicing complaints. We still laugh at her forlorn response: “Ooooh … Who’s going to eat all these?”
Well, I can walk away from cantaloupes, but I can’t resist the wonderful sweet corn of summer. So many varieties to choose from now: milk and honey (a mix of white and yellow), traditional yellow, and all white like the famous Silver Queen (my mother’s favorite). At the outdoor market at the Harrisburg Farm Show Building, farmers back their trucks right up to the stands and pile their freshly picked corn into small mountains. Now, why would anyone buy just a couple of ears when a baker’s dozen is such a bargain?
Over the years, I have eagerly searched cookbooks and magazines for different ways to cook fresh corn. This versatile vegetable shines in so many dishes beyond boiled corn on the cob. In the summer, when I am sautéing fresh vegetables like zucchini or snap peas, I throw in a cup or two of corn kernels along with a few cloves of garlic and a pinch of red pepper flakes for a great side dish. I throw leftover cooked corn into grilled summer salads and make a fresh corn salad seasoned with apple cider vinaigrette.
At our house, we grill buttered corn on the cob, either wrapped in foil or husked and placed right on the cooking grates. Just a few minutes of cooking time result in ears that are slightly charred and incredibly sweet. If you have a favorite buttermilk pancake recipe, add a cup or two of fresh corn to make corn fritters. They are a surprise accompaniment to grilled chicken, steaks, and ribs.
And believe it or not, fresh corn is showing up in contemporary pasta and risotto dishes, making for new Italian traditions. Although not currently on their menu, Carley’s Ristorante in Harrisburg makes a pasta dish with fresh corn, crab, and a light cream sauce. It is wonderful and on my list to try at home.
The recipe that follows is one that takes advantage of ripe summer tomatoes as well as corn. It can be prepared quickly and there is very little actual “cooking” involved. It calls for pappardelle (very wide pasta noodles) but if you can’t find them, fettuccine works just as well.
Pappardelle with Fresh Tomatoes and Corn
- Fill a stockpot with 6 quarts of water and bring to boil. While waiting for the water to boil, husk and wash 4 ears of fresh corn.
- When the water comes to a boil, cook the corn until barely tender, about 2 minutes. When done, let the ears cool on a towel. Keep the water simmering until it’s time to cook the pasta.
- In a large bowl, combine about 3 pounds of very ripe tomatoes, skinned if you prefer. Cut the tomatoes into chunks, whatever size you like.
- To the tomatoes, add ½ cup olive oil, a pinch of red pepper flakes, a handful of chopped parsley, some chopped garlic if you are a garlic fan, and about a teaspoon of salt. (If you like cilantro, you could substitute that for the parsley).
- When the corn is cool, cut the kernels off the cobs with a sharp knife and combine with the tomato mixture. Adjust seasoning to your taste.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain when done, and combine with the tomato corn mixture. Serve with additional chopped parsley on top.
This pasta dish is one that certainly celebrates all the fresh good tastes of summer. As a matter of full disclosure, my husband usually places corn in the same unpleasant category as peas. But he seems to accept my many attempts to jazz up this bountiful summer vegetable. Now, if only I could find a use for all those cantaloupes.
