Corn

There are many kinds of corn.

The most common types are - flint, dent, sweet and of course popcorn!

Flint corn, known as Indian corn, has a hard outer shell and kernels, it gets it name from flint, a hard type of stone. It comes in a range of colours from white to red. Its commonly used for industrial purposes and livestock feed.

Dent corn also known as Indian corn, is softer than flint corn. It has a dent in each kernel. Most kernels are yellow or white. It is commonly grown in North America and often used as livestock feed. It is also used to make many processed foods.

Popcorn is a type of flint corn, it has a soft starchy centre that is covered by a very hard shell. The natural moisture inside the kernels turns to steam when heated, but the outer coat of the kernel is so hard that the moisture is trapped. This causes the steam to build up pressure until the kernel explodes! Fun to make and great to share. Mr Scotts, hurry up with that popcorn will you, the movie is just about to start! :)

Sweet Corn, also known as maize and corn-on-the-cob, sweetcorn is a staple in many parts of America,Canada and South America. Sweetcorn gathered popularity in the UK after World War II and is now grown extensively across southern England. Sweet Corn has more natural sugar than other types of corn. It is eaten on the cob or it is stored frozen or canned.

The fresher the cob, the sweeter and juicier its flavour. To test for ripeness, pierce a kernel with your thumbnail - if it gives out milky juice, it's ready to cook. Hold-back on adding salt to the boiling water when cooking the cobs, as it tends to make them tough. When ripe, kernels are so sweet and juicy, and are best just cooked simply, with a little butter. How about smoothering corns in these tasty butters...

CHILLI BUTTER
~ Serves 4
 80g butter, 1-2 chillies, finely chopped, with or without seeds depending on how hot you like it. Fresh chopped parsley and juice of half a lemon. Mix all together and store in the fridge until ready to use.

 
HERB BUTTER
50g butter, 1tbsp chopped thyme, 1tbsp chopped parsley, black pepper & sea salt. Mix together and store in fridge until ready to use.

 
COOKING THE CORNS
Put each corn cob on a sheet of tin foil, and dot with your chosen butter mix. Wrap the corn nice and tightly in the foil. Pop in the oven and bake for around 30 minutes until tender, or just throw them on the BBQ for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally. They go great as a side dish to many meals, or just to nibble as a snack.

 
SWEETCORN FRITTERS
These nice and crispy corn cakes are easy to make, kids love them, as well as the grown-ups!

100g-plain flour
1 egg
150ml -milk
200g - fresh sweetcorn kernels, or use a tin sweetcorn ( drained) or frozen corn.
Seasoning & pinch paprika
cooking oil

Place the flour, seasoning & paprika into a large bowl. Make a well in centre, add the egg, and gradually beat in the milk to form a smooth batter. Add the sweetcorn to the batter. Heat the oil in a frying pan and fry spoonfuls of the mixture for about 2 minutes each side until golden and crispy. Serve with a salsa, on there own or even with some cripy bacon on the side. Try adding different flavours to the batter, like chopped spring onion, chilli sauce, or a sprinkle of fresh chopped herbs.

 
PINEAPPLE SWEETCORN RELISH
Makes about 500g

225g Sweetcorn kernels, fresh or frozen
225g Pineapple chunks, fresh or frozen
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 red chilli, finely chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp cider Vinegar
1 tbsp honey
20g fresh coriander leaves, chopped
Salt & Pepper

If you are using fresh sweetcorn then prepare it by either steaming in a microwave or quickly sauteing in a hot frying pan. Combine the sweetcorn with pineapple, onion, chilli, and coriander in a bowl. Make a marinade, mixing together the olive oil, honey, cider vinegar, salt & pepper. Pour over the sweetcorn and pineapple mixture, mixing well, cover and chill leaving to marinate for several hours before serving. Perfect as a side to BBQ foods.
 
D.MOSS