Sweet Corn

This is a delicious and super quick side dish to the Flank Steak in the previous entry. When was the last time you had corn on the cob? Longer than a month? Read on. In the past few years, the varieties of corn have really improved. Instead of the sugars immediately turning to starch after it is picked, the corn today has a longer shelf life and thus it is easier to enjoy when you are not near a corn field. It also appears that they can successfully grow the corn nearly year-round rather than just a 3-4 week period at the height of summer… Having said this, I must wax poetic about freshly picked corn. At the height of summer on Long Island, the foodies in the know, wait at the best farmstands until the first tractor bringing corn picked 10-20 mintues earlier arrives. They buy several ears of corn, rush home, shuck the ears and plunge for just 3-5 minutes in a pot of boiling water. Actually, for some varieties, you can eat it straight off the cob without cooking!

The last time I served steak, I ran by the nearest Pricesmart store, grabbed a bag of sweet corn (best if you catch it on delivery day but reasonably good for up to two days after picking) and plunged it into boiling water for 5-6 minutes (most people overcook corn). Slather with good unsalted butter and sprinkle with salt and serve hot. Absolutely delicious. If you haven’t had it lately go out and get some. Estimated cost is P12 a cob with butter. Plan on two cobs per person. Unless of course, some diners have dentures which tends to reduce their consumption. :)