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Spoon bread with roasted corn and sautéed flounder. (Credit: john Ross)

JOHN ROSS PHOTOSpoon bread with roasted corn and sautéed flounder.

“It is now corn season again on the North Fork. A time when we rush to get the freshest sweet corn possible from our favorite farm, boil or grill it quickly and enjoy the sweet juices bursting from each kernel,” our North Fork Chef John Ross writes in his column published in the Suffolk Times this week.

But what do you with all those ears of the sweet summer treat? Read on for three ways to prepare the golden North Fork veggie.

For more recipes, pick up a copy of The Suffolk Times or The News-Review and look for Ross’ weekly column.

Grilled Corn and Polenta 

By John Ross

Purchase 6 ears of fresh corn and 1 package of stone ground coarse cornmeal. Scrape the kernels from 2 ears of corn. Heat a sauté pan and add 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add 1 cup chopped onion, 2 minced cloves of garlic and the corn kernels from above. Season with 1 teaspoon coarse salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook for 5 minutes. Bring 2 cups water and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil in a saucepan. Gradually whisk in 1 cup of the cornmeal and cook at low heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the sautéed corn mixture, 1 tablespoon cold butter and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Spray a shallow casserole with no-stick and scrape the polenta into it with a rubber spatula. Cover with plastic film and refrigerate for 2 hours. At service time, cut the polenta into squares, brush with oil and grill over charcoal. Shuck the remaining corn, brush it with oil and grill it along with the polenta. Serve with grilled shrimp, chicken or steak.

Skillet Spoonbread

By John Ross

Begin by melting 1/4 pound of butter and letting it cool. Then scrape the kernels from 4 ears of corn to make about 3 cups of kernels. Separate 4 eggs, setting the whites aside and adding the yolks to the bowl of a food processor along with the melted butter and corn kernels. Purée this mixture and transfer it to a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine 2/3 cup flour with 2/3 cup coarse cornmeal or grits. Whisk in 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt and a dash of cayenne pepper. Fold the dry mixture into the puréed corn mixture with a rubber spatula. Then whip the reserved egg whites until soft peaks form and fold them into the batter. Spray a cast-iron skillet with no-stick and place it in a 400-degree oven for 10 minutes. Remove it from the oven and add 1 tablespoon butter and the spoonbread batter. Put it in the hot oven and let it cook for 30 minutes, or until golden and firm in the center. You can spoon it right out of the pan or cut it into wedges to serve with roasted fresh sweet corn. Serves 4-6.

Harbes Roasted Corn in the Husk

This recipe is via Harbes Family Farm which is celebrating 25 years of corn growing at its annual Sweet Corn Festival this weekend.

Ingredients: Harbes Fresh Super Sweet Corn

1.         Harbes Super Sweet Corn is picked fresh daily so if you buy it and use it same day you will not need to soak your corn however, if your corn has not been picked that day then you need to soak your corn in water with a pinch of salt for 10-15 minutes.

2.         Prepare your grill, gas or charcoal, with direct, high heat, about 550°F.

3.         The corn husks will protect the corn from burning or drying out while it is on the hot grill. If you want a bit of char on your corn, peel off a few of the outer layers of the corn husks first, before grilling.

4.         Place the corn in their husks on the hot grill. Cover the grill. Turn the corn occasionally, until the husks are completely blackened and charred on all sides, about 15 to 20 minutes.

5.         Remove the corn from the grill. Let them sit for 5 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Remove the silks and charred husks from the corn.

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