By Chef Alli on August 10, 2015
Corn and Tomatoes
Recipes and tips to help you enjoy two fall staples: corn and tomatoes
Fall is here! That means the kids are off to school and our schedules get a little crazier. Who needs more crazy in their life? Not me!
To ease the crazy in your life, check out these tips on making corn on the cob quickly and deliciously, getting those tomatoes skinned and seeded in a snap and how to get the most out of your visit to the farmers market.
Maize Craze
Chow down
If possible, enjoy your corn on the cob on the day it’s purchased, because the sugars begin converting to starch as soon as it’s picked. If you need to store it, keep it in its husk in a brown sack in your fridge.
Try speed cooking
I love to cook my corn on the cob right in the husks in the microwave. Cooking one ear for three to four minutes is perfect, and the silk and husks practically fly off after they’ve been steamed in the microwave. For each additional ear (up to four total at one time), add one additional minute of microwave cooking.
Take it easy
To quickly and easily butter cobs of corn, place a slightly softened pat of butter on a slice of bread, then run this up and down the cobs, molding the bread and butter to each cob.
Easy flavored butters
Kick your corn up a notch with these flavored butter recipes.
- Curry Butter – Combine 1/2 cup softened butter with 1 1/2 tsp. curry powder, 1/2 tsp. ground cumin and 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes.
- Maple Butter – Combine 1/2 cup softened butter with 2 Tbsp. pure maple syrup, 1 tsp. freshly minced parsley and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
Wrap butters in wax paper or parchment paper and store in the fridge up to two weeks. To keep longer, store butters in a freezer bag for up to eight months.
Fresh Off the Vine
Zip peeling
Let a pot of boiling water do all the work. Simply cut an “X” in the skin on the surface of the bottom of the tomato, then place into a pot of boiling water, five to six at a time, for 30 seconds. Remove from boiling water and place into a bowl of ice water. Skins will peel right off with just a bit of fingertip pressure.
How to seed a tomato
To remove the seeds and their juices, place the tomato on its side and slice off the top in thin layers until you can see the seeds in the cavities of the tomato. Turn the tomato cut-side down over a bowl and gently squeeze until the seeds and juices slip into the bowl. Another easy way to seed a tomato is to cut it in half vertically and use a small spoon to gently remove the seeds and juices.
