VegBox Recipes

Sweetcorn

Sweetcorn is a summer treat. In-season, it's plentiful and affordable. But, alas, the season is short... Because sweetcorn loses its flavour so quickly, imported produce is normally air freighted, so best avoided. Eat it as soon as possible after picking.

In Season?: Peak season is end of August through September, when they're usually very affordable. The rest of the year it's expensive and often imported.
Buy?: Peel back the husks a little and check to see that the kernels are still plump, rather than shrivelled.
The kernels should "give" a little if pressed with your thumb. If they've gone too hard, they probably won't taste very good.
Store?: Use as soon as possible after picking as the sweetness disappears quickly. Store in a cool, dark, dry place for a few days.
Freeze?: Once part-cooked (2 minutes), cool and then use a sharp knife to slice off the kernals. Break up with your fingers and freeze.
Cook?: If you've got fresh sweetcorn, carefully remove the outer husks and the hairs. Wash under cold water.

Then either steam for about 5 minutes of boil in a pan with about 1 inch of water and a lid on it. Turn every few minutes.

Delicious as they are, or with butter.

More Sweetcorn Information

Sweetcorn stored in a damp environment can go mouldy, which is usually obvious from the outer leaves. Avoid these.

Store with the husks on, either in a cool, dark, dry place for a week or so, or in the fridge for just over a week.

You should use the sweetcorn before the husks start to shrivel.

In fact, the sweetcorn flavour starts to deteriorate soon after picking, so for the sweetest corn, use it as soon as you can.

Sweetcorn is a variety of maize with an increases sugar content.

It is believed to originate from Central America.

It is low in fat, but high in (natural) sugars, which quickly turn to starch after picking. So while it's a great source of fibre and vitamins, you shouldn't consume too much if you're worried about your weight.

What To Do With Sweetcorn

If you've got fresh sweetcorn, carefully remove the outer husks and the hairs.

Wash under cold water.

Then either steam for about 5 minutes of boil in a pan with about 1 inch of water and a lid on it. Turn every few minutes.

Delicious as they are, or with butter.

If you're having a barbecue, just remove the husk and hairs, wipe them with butter and put on the grill. Turn them every minute or so and they will be delicious.

If you want to use the kernels, cook for a few minutes first and allow to cool. Then put a fork in the stalk end of the sweetcorn. Hold the fork so the sweetcorn is vertical. Carefully slide a sharp knife down the length of the sweetcorn, to cut off the kernels.

Note: this can leave some irregularly shaped kernels. If you would rather not have this, you can buy special sweetcorn kernel removing tools!

If you've got a lot of sweetcorn and want to freeze it, it can be worth investing in one.

Little Known Sweetcorn Facts

In France, whole sweetcorn is considered to be animal fodder. If you serve this at a dinner party to a Frenchman, he is likely to be horrified!

Sweetcorn Fritters - Thai Style
Whether you've got some spare sweetcorn cobs or a packet of frozen sweetcorn, this is a great way of enjoying sweetcorn. As long as the oil is hot and you drain the fritters afterwards, don't worry too much about the calories...!
Ingredients Serves 4 as a starter or side dish 250g frozen sweetcorn, defrosted, or 3 corn cobs 50g plain flour Pinch of salt 1 chilli, finely sliced ½ inch fresh ginger, finely chopped, or 1 tsp ground, dried ginger ½ teaspoon ground cumin 2 small eggs / 1 large egg 100ml milk
Method Mix together the flour, salt, chilli, ginger, cumin and egg(s) to form a batter. If using fresh corn cobs, remove the outer leaves and the hairy bits! Then boil / steam in boiling water for 5 minutes, until starting to soften. Then cool well before slicing the corn from the cob with a sharp knife. If using frozen sweetcorn, soak in boiling water for a couple of minutes until defrosted. Mix the sweetcorn with the batter. Heat the oil in a wok or deep fat fryer until it reaches 180 degrees C. Put a heaped tablespoon of the sweetcorn batter in the wok. Continue until the wok is full - one layer deep. Cook for 2 minutes Turn the fritters. Continue to cook until the fritters are lightly browned. Keep the fritters warm in a 100 deg C oven until all are cooked.
Cupboard-To-Table 20 mins

Suggested Sweetcorn Recipes

Aoki Sweetcorn & Chilli Butternut Squash: I discovered this delicious recipe when I was living with a Japanese family in Argentina! It seems to be a mix of both cultures. It works well with squashes or pumpkin and is delicious served with the red cabbage salad. You can use pumpkin instead of squash, if you prefer.
Autumn Pancakes With Blue Cheese Sauce: This delicious pancake recipe is a filling meal on a cold evening. The tomato-based filling is quick and the blue cheese topping goes wonderfully creamy in the oven. Enjoy!
Baked Autumn Omelette: This baked omelette can be customised using so many different veggies, herbs and spices, and makes a fab lunch on its own, and a hearty dinner served as a side.
Filling Parsnip and Butterbean Risotto: This recipe was sent in by Sally, who says:

"After a long walk in the North Downs followed by a cold, wet cycle ride to my sister's I needed something hearty, hot and filling. And an added endorsement for this recipe - once the chopping was done, I actually managed to cook the whole thing with one hand whilst taking part in a conference call : ) Perhaps you can start a new category - one handed recipes!"
Halloween Veggie Skeleton Platter: I think the picture says it all!

I came across this idea last year - thanks so much to Laura at Feeding Frenzy for the photo.
Hearty Butternut Squash and Red Onion Soup: This recipe for butternut squash and red onion soup was submitted to us by Kelly Stewart and is on test for you to try. Why not give it a go and let us know what you think!
Pumpkin Or Butternut Squash Soup: This is a great autumn lunchtime soup. We end up making it on Saturday lunchtimes, usually when it's raining! It really is as simple as chop the veggies, cook them in the butter, add the stock and then leave it.
Squash And Coconut Soup: Squashes keep well throughout the winter and, although the recipe suggests butternut, any orange-fleshed squash will do. The coconut is deliciously sweet with the squash.
Sweetcorn Fritters - Thai Style: Whether you've got some spare sweetcorn cobs or a packet of frozen sweetcorn, this is a great way of enjoying sweetcorn. As long as the oil is hot and you drain the fritters afterwards, don't worry too much about the calories...!
Sweetcorn, Spinach and Broccoli Tortilla: This delicious recipe takes less than 10 minutes, making it an ideal after-work meal. You'll want to make 2 per person and they're light, but filling.

Experminent with adding other seasonal veggies like peas.
Tuna, Sweetcorn and Celery Salad Mix: This recipe is brilliant for that moment when you (or the kids!) are starving and need something NOW… The texture and combination of flavours are hugely satisfying for munching at lunchtime.

And if it’s closer to dinner time, how about serving it stirred into freshly cooked pasta!

Got one? Send us your recipe!

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