Enhance corn’s pure sweetness with this recipe for Fried Corn—golden kernels bursting with juice are caramelized so as to add depth and richness to a Southern staple.
Do you do not forget that Simpsonsepisode—it’s an early one, which is clearly displaying my age—through which Apu stays with the Simpsons? He places cans of corn on show out on the kitchen counter. Marge demurs till Lisa and Bart stroll in and every seize a can. “Mmmm! Corn! Haven’t had that shortly.” “Yeah! Scrumptious corn!”
That’s how I really feel about this recipe. Corn has all the time been a vegetable staple. I flip to it once I want a facet dish I do know my youngsters are gonna eat. I can thank its pure sweetness for that. However not too long ago, I began to really feel like they’d take the requisite mouthful to say they “ate” it then unfold the remaining kernels across the plate. Briefly, I felt like Apu: The corn wasn’t transferring—at the least not the essential approach I used to be cooking it.
That’s why I like this recipe for Fried Corn a lot. It’s made my youngsters sit up and take discover of a facet dish they’d began to disregard. It nonetheless solely requires a number of components however the methodology of frying it in butter caramelizes it and brings out latent flavors you didn’t know existed.
Is Fried Corn Wholesome?
Corn is of course candy, so that you don’t need to look past the butter, salt, and pepper to optimize its taste. It’s additionally wealthy in antioxidants, fiber, minerals, and nutritional vitamins, as all good veggies ought to be. Butter, nevertheless, is excessive in energy and fats, so don’t overdo it with this ingredient. Similar goes for the ocean salt, which is excessive in sodium; don’t let that teaspoon flip right into a tablespoon. It’s appropriate for vegetarian and gluten-free diets, although you may make it appropriate for vegan (change the butter with vegan butter, coconut oil, or olive oil) and paleo (use ghee as a substitute of butter) diets.
Can I Use Canned corn?
The quick reply is sure, you need to use canned corn as a substitute of stocking up on ears of corn. However whereas it’s handy, canned corn comes with a number of caveats within the context of this recipe. First, it’s precooked, so it might lack that crispness when fried in butter. Additionally, canned corn is available in brine or water; if you need it to get correctly caramelized, you have to to pat it dry with a paper towel. You’ll additionally discover a slight deviation from the corn’s pure taste (some name it ‘metallic-tasting’). Final, take a look at the components of the canned corn; you could discover different components apart from corn (sugar, for instance). Briefly, corn off the cob is more healthy than the canned selection. So, sure, you need to use canned corn however I counsel in opposition to it.
INGREDIENTS
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 4 cups recent corn kernels (about 8 ears)
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Caramelize
Soften the butter and cook dinner the corn till golden, bringing out its pure sweetness.
Season
Add salt and pepper to the corn, then extra butter for richness. Prepare dinner till tender.
Serve
Modify the seasoning to your style, serve the corn sizzling, and benefit from the comforting flavors.
Devour!
FAQs & Ideas
As soon as allowed to chill utterly, fried corn could be saved in an hermetic container or Ziploc bag within the fridge for as much as 4 days. It’s also possible to freeze the corn for as much as three months. When able to eat some extra, let the corn thaw then reheat on the range.
The feel of the corn could be compromised by overcooking, which may make it chewy or mushy, relying on different elements. A kind of elements is the moisture content material. In the event you went with canned corn, you want to take in all the surplus water/brine lest your corn flip to mush (that is another excuse why you need to go for recent corn!). Additionally, watch your warmth. Overly excessive warmth can result in uneven cooking. Final tip: Don’t overcrowd the pan. I take advantage of one that enables the kernels to sit down in a single layer, with entry to the pan’s floor. This results in even cooking and caramelization, and limits the chances of mushy/chewy corn.
Select corn with brilliant inexperienced husks and keep away from ones which might be browning or overly dry. As for the silk (i.e., the hair that stands proud the highest), it ought to be gold in coloration and barely sticky, not dry. Subsequent, pull again a number of the husk and examine the kernels themselves. They need to be brilliant yellow, evenly laid out, and plump. If some are shriveled, you don’t need it. You’ll be able to even odor the tip of the corn to make sure it has an earthy, barely candy scent. A musty or bitter odor shouldn’t be a superb signal.
What Can I Add to the Corn?
Whereas I believe fried corn made with butter, salt, and pepper tastes merely elegant, there are a number of components you’ll be able to add to it to diversify its taste. Herbs and spices are a well-liked alternative: chopped parsley, cilantro, basil, chives, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, or cayenne pepper (for a bit of warmth). It’s also possible to combine in different greens, comparable to diced onions, bell peppers, jalapeño, or inexperienced chilies. You’ll be able to flip this into a whole lunch with the addition of proteins, like crumbled bacon pancetta, diced cooked hen, shrimp, or sausage; tofu or tempeh could be added as vegan choices. Final, in the event you like creamy dishes, add cheeses like goat’s, cream cheese, or feta, or Greek yogurt or bitter cream.
Prep:15 minutes
Prepare dinner:15 minutes
Complete:30 minutes
Components
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 4 cups recent corn kernels about 8 ears
- 1 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
Vitamin Information:
Energy:227kcal (11%)Carbohydrates:27g (9%)Protein:5g (10%)Fats:13g (20%)Saturated Fats:8g (50%)Polyunsaturated Fats:1gMonounsaturated Fats:4gTrans Fats:0.5gLdl cholesterol:31mg (10%)Sodium:605mg (26%)Potassium:398mg (11%)Fiber:3g (13%)Sugar:9g (10%)Vitamin A:627IU (13%)Vitamin C:10mg (12%)Calcium:8mg (1%)Iron:1mg (6%)
Recipes written and produced on Meals Religion Health are for informational functions solely.
