3 Top Chef Secrets for the Best Corn You Will Ever Eat
Use Carla Hall's secret cooking tricks to make it taste even more delicious. All hail the perfect corn recipes. By Carla Hall, REBDOOK.
Better boiled corn
I want a creamier, richer taste to my corn, so I boil it in a part-milk, part-water mixture. For every 2 cups water, add 2 cups milk, 1 Tbsp salt, and 1 Tbsp sugar. I like heat, so I also add 1 habanero chile, halved, to the liquid. Add shucked corn to the pot while the mixture is cold, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook 10 minutes. Remove corn from pot and serve when cool.
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Juicy grilled corn
If you want your corn smoky but not dry, you've got to brine it first. Here's a handy ratio for a brine: For every quart of cold water, add 2 Tbsp salt and 2 Tbsp sugar. Add water to a vessel that's big enough to completely submerge the unhusked corn; stir in the sugar and salt until dissolved. Place ears into the brining liquid and soak for 30 minutes, up to 10 hours. Remove corn from brine and place on a grill over medium heat. Grill 10 to 15 minutes, rotating every 3 to 5 minutes. Remove corn from grill; pull back husks. Place it back on the grill for a few minutes if you want grill marks. Otherwise, enjoy as is!
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Grandma's "fried" corn
I can still picture my grandmother making this. First, shuck 8 ears of corn. Holding the cob tall, cut the kernels off into a bowl, but don't slice too close to the cob-you want to leave about half the kernel still attached. Set the kernels aside and use a spoon to scrape the remaining bits of corn and corn milk into a medium saucepan. Over medium heat, cook corn milk, 2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, and 4 Tbsp unsalted butter for 5 minutes. Stir in kernels and sauté for 10 minutes. Finish with 1½ tsp salt and a few cracks of black pepper to taste. Makes 4 servings.
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