Sweet Harvest

Thanks to Mother Nature’s course, sweet corn season arrives in the Delta just in time for Fourth of July celebrations, backyard barbeques and picnics.

By Melissa Townsend

 Belzoni Crawfish, Rice and Corn Bisque

Martha Foose, Viking Cooking School
4 ears corn, husked and kernels removed, cobs reserved
3 slices bacon, cut in very small dice
4 green onions, sliced on diagonal
1 /2 cup finely diced red bell pepper
1 cup half and half
1 / 2 tsp. fresh thyme
1 / 2 cup cooked white rice
1 lb. crawfish tails and fat

In a large saucepan over medium high heat, combine corn cobs and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Strain, reserving liquid. Discard cobs. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Reserve drippings in pan. Set aside bacon. Add green onion, bell pepper and corn kernels. Cook and stir 5 minutes or until tender. Add 2 cups corn stock, half and half, thyme, and salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Add rice, cook 5 minutes; Add crawfish. Cook and stir 5 minutes. Adjust seasoning; garnish each serving with reserved bacon.

Skillet Fried Corn

From the “Cooking to the Blues” class taught at the Viking Cooking School
6 cups corn kernels\
1 / 2 cup whole milk
4 T butter
1 tsp. fresh sage
1 / 4 cup diced red bell pepper
Salt and black pepper to taste

In a large cast iron skillet, over medium high heat, melt butter and 2 tablespoons of milk. Add corn. Reduce heat to medium. Cook and stir corn, adding milk occasionally. Allow corn to brown slightly between stirrings. Cook 30 minutes. Add sage, red pepper, salt and pepper.

Corn and Black Bean Salad

Serves 8
4 fresh ears of corn
4 T lime juice
1 1 / 2 T red wine vinegar
3 T olive oil
Salt and ground pepper, to taste
2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 or 3 roma tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and diced
1 avocado
1 / 4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Cook corn in boiling water to cover 5 minutes; drain and cool. Cut corn from the cob. In a small bowl, combine lime juice and vinegar, and slowly whisk in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. In a large bowl, combine corn, black beans, peppers and onion. Peel, core, and cop avocado and add last. Pour dressing over salad, toss to coat and adjust seasonings. Cover and chill for 2 hours. Add cilantro just before serving.

Avocado and Fresh Corn Salad

Emily Hines, The Everyday Gourmet

1 avocado, chopped and tossed with lemon
1 purple onion
1 cucumber
4 ears fresh corn, cooked and kernels removed
1 yellow bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 T chopped garlic
2 T fresh cilantro
4 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 / 4 cup red wine vinegar
Juice and zest of 1 lime
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Toss together and check seasonings. Serve on lettuce leaves or as an accompaniment to any grilled meat.

Corn on the Cob with Lime Basil Butter

Shelley Young, The Chopping Block, Chicago

3 T unsalted butter
Juice of 1 large lime
1 T minced fresh red Serrano pepper
1 / 2 tsp. course ground sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 ears fresh corn
1 T fresh basil

Pull back the husks of corn, remove the silks, and draw the husks back to cover ears of corn. Soak in sink or tub of cold water for 30 minutes. Preheat grill to medium-hot. Drain corn, and toss the ears in their husks, on the grill. Cook, turning occasionally, until tender and steaming hot, about 15 minutes. Pull back the husks and return the ears to the grill for just long enough to acquire a few strategic grill marks.