Sweet Corn
A staple of any farmer’s market is sweet corn. This vegetable is fairly easy to grow, provided you have room in your garden, and provides many farm families with extra cash income. It’s also easy to preserve as it can be blanched, cut off the cob, and stored in freezer bags in the freezer for six months to one year. Sweet corn comes in yellow, white, or bi-colored (yellow and white) varieties.
Sweet corn is different from field corn. Field corn is the type of corn planted by the millions of acres in the United States. The kernels of field corn are mostly starch and it is harvested after it has dried in the field. Sweet corn is a variety of corn with a high sugar content. This is what gives it its delicious flavor.
Mutations cause corn to become sweet corn. Scientists have taken advantage of these mutations to breed varieties of sweet corn which are supersweet or sugary enhanced. These types are much sweeter and store longer than regular sweet corn.
Sweet corn is best picked in its immature stage because as it matures the sugar turns to starch and does not taste good. This is called the milk stage which can be determined by puncturing a kernel with your thumbnail. A milky juice should appear on your nail; under ripe ears will ooze a watery material. Old ear will have tough kernels.
Sweet corn has high levels of antioxidants, which remove free radicals from the body. Free radicals damage the body by a process called oxidation. It is also a good source of lutein which is good for the cardiovascular system and for vision. It also is a good source of folate, magnesium, phosphorus, thiamin, vitamin C, and fiber.
In Latin America, sweet corn is traditionally eaten with beans. This combination is a perfectly balanced diet, at least nutritionally, as each vegetable is deficient in an amino acid which is abundantly present in the other.
Amish Corn Chowder
3 pieces salt pork, sliced
4 potatoes, sliced
6 soda crackers, soaked in milk
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon salt
1 onion, sliced
2 cups water
2 cups corn
1/4 teaspoon paprika
Cut the salt pork in cubes and brown. Add onion and cook until browned; add the potatoes and water and cook until potatoes are soft.
When potatoes are cooked, stir in the crackers which have been soaked in the milk, corn, salt and paprika. Heat thoroughly and serve.
Amish Corn Fritters
4 large ears corn
2 large eggs, separated
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Unsalted butter, as needed
Cut the kernels from two ears by standing each ear upright on a plate, carefully slice beneath the rows in a steady downward motion. With the back of the knife, scrape the cobs to extract the juice. Grate the kernels from the remaining 2 ears, cutting off the kernels at just half their depth and scraping off pulp on the cob. Put all the corn kernels, pulp and juice into a bowl. The mixture will resemble scrambled eggs.
Beat the egg yolks in a large bowl until light. Beat in the flour, sugar, salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the corn.
Beat the egg whites in a large bowl until stiff. Fold them into the corn mixture.
Heat a heavy skillet or griddle over medium heat and grease it lightly with butter. Drop the batter by small spoonfuls onto the skillet and cook until golden. About 30 seconds each side.
Transfer the cooked fritters to a lightly buttered serving platter and keep them warm in a low oven while cooking the remaining fritters.
