Corn Off the Cob

There are few vegetables I enjoy more than fresh picked corn on the cob. And I like pretty much every vegetable out there. Except Lima beans. Eww. (And yes, I know beans aren't vegetables. They're legumes.)

There's just something about the way extremely fresh vegetables smell. Holding a just picked ear of corn up to your nose and inhaling - the earthy loam the corn grew in presents itself, hints of warmth and sunshine, fresh air so far removed from the city streets. It's a beautiful thing and it brings me back to my childhood. My mother and I grew a garden annually and our time spent together outdoors is one of my most cherished memories. She knew so much about the earth and how to treat her to nourish amazing plant life to grace our dinner table. The patience she extended in teaching me these wonderful things was infinite - I was a very precocious, impatient child. I appreciate the fruits of labor so much more holding this knowledge. The smell of fresh food is a product of the miracle of nature and of hard work. It's a thing not to be held lightly.

And sometimes for fun you find little baby ears inside the husk.



On a lighter note, Husband is of the school of thought that work for food once it's on the plate is unnecessary. So, that means no Cornish game hens, no crab legs, and no corn on the cob - unless of course it's all cut up and prepared for him. I often tell Husband that should he ever have to hunt for his food...well, let's just say he'd be very, very skinny. Anyways, so this tasked me with finding a way to prepare it off the cob without boiling it to death.

I'm so keen on corn that I've actually been known to eat it right off the cob while it's still raw. It's so sweet and juicy, what's the point of cooking? Husband would def not go for this.

Instead, I cut it off the cob and did this:



Parmesan Corn Off the Cob

2 ears of corn
olive oil
salt and pepper
thyme
1 T Parmesan cheese, finely grated
1 T butter

1. Very carefully, cut all the kernels off the cob into a mixing bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, thyme and the Parmesan cheese. Toss well to combine.

2. In a skillet melt butter and cook corn over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until crisp tender and heated through. Be careful to not overcook.