Corn: Buying, Storing and Using
Called maize in most of the English-speaking world, common corn (Zea mays) is a New World crop. It is the only major grain that is used both as a starch and as a vegetable. The earliest signs of corn cultivation appear around 3,500 B.C. in central Mexico. From there its use spread into South and North America. With the European conquest of the Americas, the crop was distributed around the world.
Varieties
Corn has been thoroughly domesticated. Its original form, a species of the group of wild grasses called teosintes, is currently threatened in the wild. The food crop is categorized either by color — yellow, white, blue, Indian (multi-colored) — or by sugar content. Recent hybridization has produced super-sweet varieties.
Seasonality
Corn comes into season starting in early to mid-summer and continues into early fall.
Buying, Storing and Preparing
Corn should be eaten as soon as possible after it is harvested. Once picked, sugar in the kernels begins to turn to starch, and the corn loses its sweetness.
Corn on the cob can be boiled, steamed, grilled, roasted or cut into pieces and stewed. Kernels off the cob can be roasted, fried with butter, mixed with tomatoes or beans, stirred into cornmeal batters, used in relishes or added to soups and stews.
When cutting fresh kernels off the cob, make sure to scrape the cob with a knife to extract as much of the sweet, milky juice as you can.
Uses around the World
Fresh corn, picked when still immature, is a favorite summer vegetable in the Americas and in parts of Africa. Baby corn is a common ingredient in stir fries.
Ground dried corn, treated with lye, forms the base for the tortillas and tamales of Mexico and much of Mesoamerica. Cornmeal is used for polenta in Italy, mamaliga in Romania, ugali in Kenya, and for American cornbread.
Huitlacoche, or Mexican truffle, is a fungus that attacks corn. It is considered a delicacy in Mexico and is used in quesadillas and soups.
Corn Recipes
Atol de Elote
(Salvadoran corn beverage)
Atoles are very popular beverages in El Salvador with roots in Mayan cuisine. They are a sort of thick drink often eaten with a spoon. Atol de elote is based on fresh corn (elote) and has a wonderfully fresh flavor. For ultimate effect, serve it in a bowl made out of a dried calabash gourd. Read more »
Cachapas
(Venezuelan fresh corn pancakes)
Cachapas are rib-sticking pancakes made with fresh corn. They are sold as road-side snacks in Venezuela, wrapped around queso fresco, mozzarella, chopped ham, chorizo or spread with butter, cream cheese or sour cream. Cachapas are a great, gluten-free option for people who can't tolerate pancakes made with wheat flour. Read more »
Calabacitas y Elotes con Crema
(Mexican zucchini and corn simmered in cream)
Two New World vegetables pair up beautifully in this simple yet luxurious side dish. Calabacitas is the word for young zucchini, and elotes means kernel corn. Read more »
Cancha
(Ecuadorian, Peruvian toasted corn snack)
Cancha, a popular snack in Peru and Ecuador, is made with a special type of large-kerneled corn called maíz chulpe or maíz cancha chulpe. The dried kernels are tossed with oil and toasted in a hot skillet until they are browned and puffed. A simple sprinkling of salt and the cancha is ready to eat. Cancha is often served with ceviche or a cold beer. Read more »
Creamed Corn
(American corn simmered with cream)
Cream-style corn is an old-fashioned midwestern American dish that deserves to be rediscovered. Given a bad name by mushy canned versions, this dish is amazingly simple to make yourself. And the use of fresh corn, not frozen, yields a delicious side dish for summertime meals. Read more »
Gai Pad Yod Khao Pod
(Thai chicken with baby corn)
Gai pad yod khao pod, also known as baby corn chicken, is a simple and quick Thai stir fry. The inclusion of oyster sauce as a seasoning belies a strong Chinese influence. Sometimes spelled kai phat yot khao pot. Read more »
Githeri
(Kenyan corn and beans)
Githeri is a simple yet nourishing dish originated with Kikuyu tribe. In modern times it has become popular throughout Kenya. The combination of beans and corn supplies a full complement of protein for the often protein-poor diet of many Kenyans. Read more »
Irio
(Kenyan mashed peas, potatoes and corn)
Originally a dish of the Kikuyu people, irio is a hearty and nutritious accompaniment to meals that has become popular throughout Kenya. It has many variations, but potatoes and peas are the staple ingredients with corn the most common addition. Irio is famously paired with grilled steak in the combination known as nyama na irio. Read more »
Pastel de Choclo
(Chilean ground beef casserole with corn batter topping)
Pastel de choclo in one form or another is popular throughout South America. It is especially popular in Chile, where it is often made with both beef and chicken. Sometimes sliced, hard-boiled eggs are added. Traditionally the pastel is baked in a large oval earthenware dish, or paila, or in several smaller bowls for individual servings. Read more »
Porotos Granados
(Chilean pumpkin and cranberry bean stew)
The origins of Chile's porotos granados reach back into pre-Hispanic times. The basic ingredients — pumpkin, beans, corn and tomatoes — are all indigenous to the New World. Cranberry beans are the traditional choice, but you can substitute other beans. Read more »
Tamales de Elote
(Central American fresh corncakes)
Tamales de elote are a favorite breakfast food in Mexico and throughout Central America. In El Salvador and Guatemala they are often served as the starchy portion of a meal. The fresh elote, or corn, used in Central America has a higher starch content than that in the United States, but the addition of masa harina in this recipe produces a very good approximation of the original. Read more »
