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WAYS WITH CORN
An Excerpt from It's Not Just Chicken Soup
by Eddy Robey

As a girl, I heard many conversations about Corn. Quite a few people grew a bit in their back gardens, and would enjoy telling how they had the water boiling on the stove, before going to make their harvest.

That was the signal for a lively debate as to whether Corn should be boiled or fried. Others would speak of a Sunday drive, when they had bought the bounty from a stand right next to a field. There was much said about color. The general opinion being that white was for people, and yellow for horses.

The joyous rituals of Summer, barbecues and beach picnics always included Corn on the Cob. In Autumn, our national feast, Thanksgiving Day, was enjoyed at a table invariably decorated with a centerpiece containing ears of multicolored “Indian” Corn. When Winter's chill descended, we were warmed by a bowl of Corn Chowder. In Spring, folks ate food accompanied by the Corn Relish which had been made the previous year, and discussed the preparation of their gardens for a good crop.

Times are more busy now. The Corn we eat most often comes from a supermarket, and may be frozen or tinned. It matters not; our appetites are unabated. Corn is one of the few vegetables that almost every child will eat. That is a major consideration these days as most of us attempt to increase our intake of fiber, and consume the recommended number of servings for fruit and vegetables.

There is always something to be learned from tradition. That is particularly true, when the tradition is as tasty as in these classic methods for preparing our country's favorite vegetable. Here are some recipes from yesterday, which I hope will form the basis for tomorrow's memories.

Fried Corn
4 tablespoons Butter or Margarine
1 cup minced Onion
3 cups cut Corn, fresh or frozen
1/2 cup minced Parsley
2 teaspoons Sugar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method
Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet. Add the minced onion, and cook, over medium heat until the onion is browned. Add the cut corn, minced parsley, and 1/4 cup water. Stir together, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for about 15 minutes, or until the grains are soft. Season with Salt and Pepper to taste. Serve.

Corn Custard
3 cups cut Corn, fresh or frozen
4 Eggs, separated
2 cups Half-and-half or Nondairy creamer
3/4 cup Cracker crumbs
1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
1 tablespoon Sugar

Method
Cut slightly into the kernels of about 8 ears of corn, then cut them from the cob, or pulse frozen Corn a couple of times in the food processor. Do not puree the Corn.

Mix with the Egg Yolks, Half and Half, Cracker Crumbs, Nutmeg, and Sugar. Beat the Egg Whites until they are stiff, but not dry, and fold into the Corn mixture. If you are in a hurry, you may just mix in the eggs, and omit beating the whites separately.

Pour into a greased and floured 8 or 9-inch square glass baking dish, and bake at 300 degrees for about and hour, or until set. Serve.

Oven Roasted Corn on the Cob
As many ears of corn as you wish
1/2 teaspoon Marjoram per ear
2 teaspoons Butter or Margarine per ear
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method
For each ear of corn to be prepared, tear a sheet of aluminum foil about 12 inches square. Spread each ear with Butter or Margarine, and place it on the foil. Sprinkle with Salt, Pepper, and Marjoram, add 1 teaspoon of water, and wrap tightly. You may prepare the recipe ahead of time to this point.

When you are ready to cook, preheat the oven to 425 degrees and bake the foil
packets for 30 minutes. Serve

Spoon Bread
2 1/2 cups Milk or Nondairy Creamer
3/4 cup Cornmeal
3/4 teaspoon Salt
4 tablespoons Butter or Margarine
4 Eggs, separated

Method
Mix the Cornmeal and Milk in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat, until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Remove from heat, stir in the Butter, and set aside to cool. When the cooked mixture has cooled, blend in the Egg Yolks.

Beat the Egg whites until stiff, but not dry. Fold the beaten Egg whites into the cooked mixture. Spoon the batter into a greased and floured, 8 or 9-inch square glass baking dish. Bake at 325 degrees for an hour. Serve

Corn Fritters
3 cups cut Corn, fresh or frozen
3 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 cup Cracker crumbs
3/4 cup Self-Rising Flour
Oil for frying

Method
Combine the Flour and Cracker Crumbs. Mix in the cut Corn. Add the slightly beaten Eggs, and mix well. The batter will be thick. Heat about a half-inch of Oil in a skillet. Drop the Batter into the Oil, about a tablespoon at a time. Fry until golden on one side, then turn and brown the other side. Drain on paper towels, and serve immediately

Scalloped Corn and Tomatoes

2 cups cut Corn, fresh or frozen
1 (1 pound) tin sliced Tomatoes, drained
1 medium Onion, diced
3/4 cup diced Celery
3 tablespoons Butter or Margarine
1 cup Cracker Crumbs
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method
Melt the Butter in a skillet. Add the Celery and Onions. Cook, over medium
heat until the Onions are slightly browned. Remove from heat. Stir in Corn,
Tomatoes, Salt, and Pepper.

Lightly Oil an 8 or 9-inch square glass baking dish. Place half the Corn
mixture in the dish, and top with half the Cracker Crumbs. Repeat with the
other half of the Corn mixture, and remaining Crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for
about 30 minutes, or until browned. Serve

Corn Relish
2 1/2 cups fresh Corn
2 cups shredded Cabbage
2 Onions, chopped
1 sweet Red Bell Pepper; chopped
1 Green Bell Pepper; chopped
1 long seedless Cucumber, chopped
2 pounds peeled, chopped Tomatoes, fresh or tinned
1 cup Sugar
3/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tablespoons Salt
2 teaspoons Celery Seed
2 teaspoons Mustard Seed

Method
Put all the ingredients into a 4-quart non-reactive pot. Cook over medium
heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for
between 20 and 30 minutes, or until a bit thick. Chill and store in
refrigerator. This will keep for about a month.

Italian Corn
3 cups of cut Corn, fresh or frozen
1 large Onion, minced
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Rosemary
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Method
Pour the Olive Oil into a large skillet which has a lid. Over a medium heat,
cook the Onion and Rosemary together, until the onion is translucent. Add the
Corn, 1/4 cup Water, and stir. Cover, and cook over medium heat, stirring
once, for 8 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with Salt, Pepper, and Parmesan
Cheese, and stir. Serve



Eddy Robey M.A., Author of
It's Not Just Chicken Soup . Like all Jewish mothers, I feed everyone in sight, and have been at work in the kitchen for over 20 years.
Correspondence should be addressed to
eddyrobey@aol.com and will be read as soon as the dishes are done. You can find many of my recipes online at Gantseh Megillah

 

 

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