Here in the New Jersey/New York area, we are just hitting our stride with sweet local corn. We go to the Paterson Farmer’s Market almost every Saturday or Sunday to buy corn from upstate NY farmers. Then we grill it in the husk and savor it’s crisp, delicious flavor “a la natural.” Meaning, this corn is so good, it needs no enhancements.

When we have leftovers, we use them in a salad to accompany a main dish. Last week, we made Ina Garten’s “Fresh Corn Salad.” We served it alongside a wonderful pork milanese. The recipe directs you to boil the corn, but we always grill our corn because we love the nutty flavor grilling imparts. I liked the fact that it also calls for fresh basil, which is abundant in our gardens this time of year.

It’s quick, easy, and delicious! Enjoy!

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Fresh Corn Salad – Terry Krongold

Ingredients

5 ears of corn, shucked
1/2 cup small-diced red onion (1 small onion)
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup julienned fresh basil leaves

Method
In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the corn for 3 minutes until the starchiness is just gone. Drain and immerse it in ice water to stop the cooking and to set the color. When the corn is cool, cut the kernels off the cob, cutting close to the cob.
Toss the kernels in a large bowl with the red onions, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Just before serving, toss in the fresh basil. Taste for seasonings and serve cold or at room temperature.

Jersey Corn Souffle with Cheddar Cheese and Chives – Michele Errichetti

I bought a dozen ears of sweet Jersey white corn at the Ventnor International Farmers Market along with a ton of other fruit and veggies, clams, and baked goods to take home and make into my family’s favorite summer dishes. Somehow all the corn didn’t get eaten right away, ( all three were eaten by me raw) and I like mine first day fresh. So, I decided to make Jersey Corn Souffle with the addition of Cheddar Cheese and Chives. I wanted to add the savory elements as I had always eaten the sweeter version around Thanksgiving with turkey. It turned out to be a big hit with a Jersey tomato salad and free range grilled skirt steak with Jersey tomato salsa. You could even add a little cayenne pepper to “kick it up a notch” to steal an Emeril line.This dish would be a great addition to most meats and would be a great covered dish to bring to any picnic. Jersey summer fruit and veggies are the best! Eat them while you can, summer goes way too fast and before you know it they willl be gone till next year!

Ingredients:

2 slightly beaten eggs
8-9 Jersey ears of corn (white), cut off the cob
1 stick of butter (lightly salted), melted
2 cups lowfat Greek yogurt
1 cup of shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp. of sugar
1/2 tsp. salt and pepper. cayenne optional.
2 cups Bisquick
1 bunch of chives chopped or 2 tbsps. of dried chives
1/4 cup of half and half

Method:

Combine eggs, half and half, Bisquick,Cheddar cheese, chives, corn and butter. Spread into an 11 x 7 inch baking dish. Bake at 350* oven for approximately 45 minutes or until a knife in the middle comes out clean. About 6 to 8 servings.

Sweet Corn and Black Bean Salad -Kerry Brown
This basic recipe is from wholefoods.com. but it’s open to interpretation. Kernels of  fresh grilled corn are delicious in this. (In the off-season look for Fire Roasted Corn in Trader Joe’s frozen foods aisle.) I like to sprinkle in a bit of hot pepper flakes and/or cumin for extra kick. The addition of chopped avocado adds a cool, silky component to the mix. Makes a perfect summer side dish for grilled meats or fish and it’s also a tasty wrap filling or nacho topping. On it’s own, combined with rice, quinoa or pasta, topped with shredded cheese, the possibilities are almost endless!

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh or frozen and thawed corn kernels
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups no-salt-added cooked black beans rinsed and drained
1 red bell pepper cored, seeded and chopped
1/3 cup cilantro leaves finely chopped

Method:
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add corn and cook for 1 minute, then drain well, rinse in cold water and drain again. (If using frozen corn, skip this step.) Meanwhile, rinse onions in cold water to remove some of their sharp, acidic flavor; drain well and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper to make a dressing. Add beans, corn, onion and bell pepper and toss until just incorporated. Cover and chill for about 2 hours. Add cilantro and toss again before serving.

Corn Cakes – Jennifer Malme
While vacationing in Virginia, my family ate some sort of fried dough nearly every night – hush puppies, corn fritters, apple fritters – my mouth is still watering just thinking of them!  When we got home, I wanted to recreate those fritters, but I don’t have a deep fryer.  So I came up with these Corn Cakes, wholesome corn pancakes cooked up on a non-stick griddle.  A great use for Jersey-fresh corn!

Makes 12 small cakes

Ingredients