We are hitting peak corn, and my love of this singular summer ingredient means I want to use it in all my cooking, going far beyond eating it straight off the cob. So, without further ado, here’s my almost-annual Five Weeknight Dishes: Corn Edition.
As always, I’ve got five simple dinner recipes for you below, all of which incorporate corn. But also think about arepas, which are easy to pan-fry and are so excellent for dinner with an avocado salad. Corn salad is a recipe to memorize. Do not forget corn risotto! Or elotes! Jerrelle Guy taught me that you can use corn kernels in the topping for a cobbler. And corn ice cream is one the greatest treats. If you see it at a scoop shop, order it.
1. Sautéed Chicken Breasts With Corn and Shallots
Sauteed chicken breasts with corn and shallots. Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell. (Armando Rafael/The New York Times)
When you’ve eaten your fill of corn on the cob, here is another delightful way to enjoy one of summer’s best vegetables: Build it into a quick sauce with shallots, white wine, Dijon mustard and cream, to spoon over butter-sautéed chicken. It’s a fresh yet luxurious weeknight meal you’re going to make all season long.
By Pierre Franey
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 15 minutes
INGREDIENTS
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
Salt to taste
Freshly ground pepper to taste
2 large ears of corn
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh chervil or parsley
DIRECTIONS
1. Sprinkle chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Cut the kernels from the ears of corn. There should be about 1 cup. Set aside.
3. Heat butter in a skillet large enough to hold the breasts in one layer. Add the chicken, cook 3 minutes and turn. Cover and cook 5 minutes longer.
4. Transfer chicken pieces to a hot serving dish. To the skillet add shallots and cook briefly. Add wine and bring to the boil. Add the corn and stir in mustard.
5. Add cream and stir to blend. Bring to the boil and add the chervil or parsley. Pour and scrape the sauce over the chicken pieces and serve.
2. Spicy Corn and Coconut Soup
Spicy corn and coconut soup. Food Stylist: Sarah Jampel. (Linda Xiao/The New York Times)
A good corn soup is creamy and naturally sweet; an even better corn soup is spicy, refreshing and addictive. In this recipe, it’s the combination of shallots, garlic, ginger, chiles and coconut milk, rather than heavy cream or butter, that makes the soup at once cooling and rich. It’s a dinner in a bowl (and a vegan one at that), but it would surely welcome a side of steamed rice or salad of leafy greens. To serve, add garnishes that are any combination of spicy (extra fresh chile or store-bought chile oil), crunchy (toasted coconut, chopped peanuts or cashews, fried shallots) or fresh (torn cilantro, chopped scallions), and it’ll be even more dynamic.
By Sarah Jampel
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
5 ears yellow or bicolor corn (or 5 cups frozen corn kernels)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced into rings
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and minced
1 serrano chile (or other chile), minced
2 small red potatoes (6 to 8 ounces total), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or 2 1/2 cups of hot water whisked with 1 1/2 teaspoons jarred bouillon)
1 (15-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
1 tablespoon lime juice (from 1/2 lime)
Kosher salt, to season
Torn cilantro leaves, toasted coconut flakes, chopped roasted peanuts, crispy fried shallots, lime wedges and more sliced Serrano chiles, to serve (optional)
DIRECTIONS
1. Cut the corn kernels off the cobs and transfer to a bowl. Using the back of a butter knife, scrape the cobs so that all of the milky juices collect in the bowl and the cobs look completely dry, like wrung-out sponges. Set aside. (If using frozen kernels, skip this step.)
2. In a large stockpot over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add shallots, garlic, ginger and chile, and sauté, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, 3 to 5 minutes. Add corn kernels and juices to the pot, and sauté until the corn is softer and brighter, about 3 minutes more.
3. Add potato pieces, and stir to coat, 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Now, pour in the vegetable broth and coconut milk. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the potatoes are tender all the way through.
5. Use an immersion blender to roughly purée the soup, so that it’s creamy with some kernels of corn, chunks of potato, and chile flecks remaining. (Alternatively, ladle about half of the soup into a blender, blend until smooth, and return to the pot.) Season with lime juice and salt, and mix to combine. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with toppings of your choice.
3. One-Pan Fish With Bacon and Sweet Corn
A one-pan fish with bacon and sweet corn. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. (David Malosh/The New York Times)
The delightful textures of this dish’s three main components — crisp bacon, tender fish and plump corn kernels — make for a lovely summer dinner. Tilapia, trout, bass or any other flaky yet firm white fish will work well. Naturally smoked bacon imparts a flavor reminiscent of campfire cooking or outdoor grilling over hot coals. When fresh corn isn’t in season, frozen corn can be used, but will require a minute or two more in the skillet. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice rounds out the dish with its acidity.
By Yewande Komolafe
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 35 minutes
INGREDIENTS
4 (6-ounce) fish fillets, such as tilapia, snapper, trout or striped bass, skin on or off
Kosher salt
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems
1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 tablespoon chopped thyme leaves (from 5 to 6 sprigs)
1 lemon
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 bacon slices, chopped
2 small shallots, finely chopped
2 cups fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears of corn)
DIRECTIONS
1. Lightly season both sides of the fish fillets with salt. In a large bowl, combine 1/4 cup parsley with the red-pepper flakes, garlic and thyme. Zest the lemon into the bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons olive oil. Transfer the fish to the bowl and turn to coat. Cover and marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes. (The fish can be covered tightly and refrigerated for up to 12 hours.) Cut the zested lemon into 8 wedges and set aside.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium. Add the bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until crispy, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel.
3. Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil to the bacon drippings in the skillet. Lay the marinated fish fillets in an even layer (skin-side down if your fillets are skin-on) and cover fish with any leftover marinade from the bowl. Cook until the fish is firm, opaque and flakes easily when poked with a fork, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the fish to a serving platter; keep the skillet on the stove.
4. Lower the heat to medium, and add the shallots and reserved bacon. Cook, stirring, until the shallots soften, about 2 minutes. Add the corn, stir and cook until just tender, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and squeeze in the juice from 3 lemon wedges. Add the remaining 1/4 cup chopped parsley, stir and spoon over the fish. Serve with the remaining lemon wedges for squeezing.
4. Sook Mei Faan (Cantonese Creamed Corn With Tofu and Rice)
Sook Mei Faan (Cantonese creamed corn with tofu and rice). Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. (Christopher Simpson/The New York Times)
Creamed corn over rice is a quintessential Cantonese dish often served at cha chaan tengs, casual diners that are ubiquitous in Hong Kong. There are many variations of sook mei faan, or corn rice. Some include chunks of pork or chicken, while another rendition has the creamy corn ladled over fried fish fillets. While this dish is traditionally made with canned creamed corn, this vegan version uses fresh corn, which offers a well-rounded sweetness that still feels bright, and is served over cold silken tofu, offering a pleasing contrast in texture and temperature.
By Hetty Lui McKinnon
Yield: 4 servings
Total time: 25 minutes
INGREDIENTS
2 (14-ounce) packages silken tofu, drained
3 cups corn kernels (1 pound), from 3 large cobs or thawed from frozen
1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as grapeseed, vegetable or canola, plus more as needed
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
2 scallions, finely sliced, plus more for serving
1 1/2 cups vegetable stock
Kosher salt
White pepper
2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
Steamed rice, for serving
Cilantro leaves and tender stems, for garnish
Sesame oil or chile oil, for drizzling
DIRECTIONS
1. Carefully pat the tofu dry with a clean kitchen towel, and cut each block into 8 slices.
2. Place half the corn kernels into a blender or food processor, and blitz until creamy but still chunky.
3. Heat a medium saucepan or deep skillet over medium-high. When hot, add 1 tablespoon oil. Add the ginger, garlic and scallions, and cook for 20 seconds until aromatic. (They shouldn’t brown too much.) Add the remaining corn kernels, along with the blitzed corn and vegetable stock, season well with salt and white pepper, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes to bring the mixture to a boil. Stirring constantly, slowly add the cornstarch slurry, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is slightly thickened.
4. Divide rice among bowls. For each serving, lay 4 slices of silken tofu on top of the rice and top with a few spoonfuls of the creamed corn. Finish with scallions, cilantro and drizzle with sesame or chile oil.
Tips: If you don’t have cornstarch, you can thicken the creamed corn by adding an egg. Beat 1 egg, reduce heat to low, and slowly pour the egg in a steady stream into the corn mixture. (Do not stir.) Allow to cook for 30 seconds, then slowly stir with chopsticks or a fork to create long strands of egg. This dish can also be eaten with pasta or noodles.
5. Linguine With Zucchini, Corn and Shrimp
This super fast and super easy summer pasta recipe barely cooks peak-season corn and zucchini, maintaining their freshness and crunch while highlighting their vibrant flavor. This same quick-cooking method is applied to the shrimp, which keeps its bite by spending little time in the pan. (While corn and zucchini turn mushy if overcooked, shrimp turns tough and rubbery.) Finishing off this summer pasta is a shower of fresh basil and mint, which cling to each glossy strand of linguine. Feel free to add whatever vegetables and herbs catch your eye at the market. This pasta is best eaten al fresco.
By Dan Pelosi
Yield: 4 to 6 Servings
Total time: 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 pound linguine or other long pasta
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed (about 20 shrimp)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium shallot or 1/2 medium onion, minced
Red-pepper flakes
1 large zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch rounds, then each round cut into quarters
2 cups corn kernels (2 to 3 large ears)
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint, for garnishing
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, for garnishing
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large pasta pot, bring salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to the packaging directions until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
2. Meanwhile, pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel and season with salt. In a separate large pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter into 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium high. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook until just opaque, about 2 minutes per side. Use tongs or a slotted spoon to extract shrimp and set aside.
3. Maintaining medium-high heat, add the garlic, shallot and a pinch each of salt, black pepper and red pepper, stirring constantly until the garlic is fragrant and shallot is translucent, about 3 minutes. Add zucchini and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes. Add corn along with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of salt; stir to coat. Cook until the corn is bright yellow and warm, about 2 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the vegetables, they should maintain their crispness.
4. Add pasta to the pot with the vegetables, followed by the shrimp, 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water and the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter. Stir to combine, reheating the shrimp while creating a glossy sauce, for about 90 seconds. Remove from heat and add chopped mint and basil and stir. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve immediately.
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