I can’t get enough corn at this time of year. I never buy fresh corn in the winter and spring. I see ears in grocery stores then, but I know there is no chance those ears have been picked that day. I want truly fresh corn — and in August, it’s available at just about any farm stand.
I know that corn as a crop, in general, worries many Americans. Michael Pollan devotes an entire section of his groundbreaking book “The Omnivore’s Dilemma” to corn — and not, generally, in a good way. The title’s dilemma is that since humans can eat just about anything, we’re not necessarily smart about figuring out what’s good for us to eat and what’s really bad.
Pollan points out that corn’s adaptability, sweetness, starchiness and affordability “allowed it to spread and grow until it worked its way into every corner of our lives — and every cell in our bodies.” It is the biggest agricultural product in this nation.
It’s true that shoppers must be ever vigilant lest they consume corn as a filler or sweetener in a multitude of products in the grocery store.
Pollan wrote, “Read the label on any processed food, and corn is what you’ll find. Corn is in the non-dairy creamer and the Cheez Whiz, the frozen yogurt and the TV dinner, the canned fruit and the ketchup.
“It’s in the candy, the cake mixes, the mayonnaise, mustard, hot dogs and bologna, the salad dressings and even in some vitamins.”
He pointed out that much of the meat, fish and dairy we purchase comes from animals fed on corn, which thus adds more of it to our diet. I read labels carefully and am wary of too much added corn syrup and cornstarch in the products I buy and consume.
Eating corn on the cob is a different story, I believe.
It is locally grown. It’s delicious. It’s a vegetable. And it’s only truly available for a short time each year.
I was heartened to read an article in The New York Times from 2024 that agreed with my assessment.
In “How Healthy Is Sweet Corn?” writer Caroline Hopkins noted, “Corn sometimes gets a bad rap on the health front.”
She went on to quote a nutritionist who argued that “sweet yellow corn has little in common with processed corn products.” She called it “a pretty healthy vegetable,” one that helps digestion and gives us vitamins, minerals and energy. Amen.
Speaking of The New York Times, this week’s recipe was inspired by one from that newspaper. In general, what I do with corn on the cob is what most of us do with it: I steam or boil it and eat it on the spot, with a little salt and pepper — and, if I’m feeling particularly decadent, a little salted butter.
I am always on the lookout for a recipe that uses fresh corn, however. In this paper alone, I have written about a number of corny dishes, including corn chowder, corn and tomato soup, corn salsa and corn maque choux. I made the last of those with frozen corn, but one could use fresh corn as well, of course.
I recently spotted a corn recipe in The New York Times that struck me as tasty-looking and novel. I have changed it, of course, in part because I feel I owe it to my readers (and to the Times) to be a bit original, and in part because I thought of improvements to it.
It was called “Creamy Corn Pasta with Basil.” Its trick, and its joy, lay in the fact that the cream that gave the recipe its name was not cream at all, just pureed corn: yellow, sweet and flavorful.
My major quibble with the recipe was that it combined the corn with scallions. I have nothing against scallions, but I decided to use garlic instead. I love the complementary flavors of garlic and corn. They marry well.
And in addition to basil, I threw in some parsley because it’s profuse right now and delicious. I added some fresh, local baby tomatoes as well because when they are in season, they taste like candy to me, mirroring and augmenting the corn’s sweetness while adding color. Feel free to add any vegetable or herb your heart might desire.
I do agree with Melissa Clark, who created the original recipe, that saving some pasta water is critical for this dish. Corn is a starch, and starches can get a little thick. Mixing a little pasta water into the corn “cream sauce” can work wonders.
Next time, I think I would make twice as much sauce for the same amount of pasta. The corn flavor is subtle in the recipe as written. It’s delicious, however.
Happy corn season!
Creamy Corny Pasta
Ingredients:
6 to 8 ounces pasta (your choice as to which type; I used corkscrews)
a splash of extra-virgin olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 cups kernels from fresh corn
2 tablespoons sweet butter
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
chopped parsley and basil to taste
1 pinch red pepper flakes
salt, pepper, and fresh lemon juice to taste
halved baby tomatoes for garnish
Instructions:
Boil the pasta in a pot of water for 1 minute less than the manufacturer tells you will be “al dente.” Set aside 1 cup of the cooking water, and drain the pasta.
While the pasta is cooking, start the sauce. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and a pinch of salt, and cook until the garlic just starts to turn golden. (Avoid burning it.)
Add a couple of tablespoons of the pasta water and all but 1/4 cup of the corn kernels. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until the corn is almost tender, adding more pasta water if the corn seems to be drying out.
Transfer the corn mixture to a blender. Purée the mixture until it becomes smooth. Add a little more pasta water as needed to make sure the corn sauce is thick but still pourable.
Using the same skillet you used for the sauce, heat the butter over medium heat. Melt it and add the remaining corn. Cook it until it is tender. It’s fine if the butter browns; just avoid burning it.
Return the sauce to the pan and cook it for 30 seconds to meld the flavors. Reduce the heat to low, and stir in the pasta and a little more the pasta-cooking water. Cook for 1 minute. Add a little more pasta water if the sauce seems overly thick.
Stir in the Parmesan, most of the herbs, the red pepper flakes, and a little salt and pepper. Ladle into a serving dish or individual dishes. Top with rest of the herbs, the baby tomatoes, and a sprinkle of lemon juice. The lemon brightens the flavor.
Serves 2 to 3.
Tinky Weisblat is an award-winning cookbook author and singer known as the Diva of Deliciousness. Visit her website, TinkyCooks.com.