Sweetcorn, aka corn on the cob, is one of the absolutely best seasonal autumn offerings. Biting into sweet, plump and juicy kernels slathered in butter – that’s bliss.
Corn kernels grow on the cob which is the hard, inedible centre. They are coated in husks and silk (the annoying fronds that go everywhere) and all together forms an ear of corn. Shucking an ear means peeling off all the husk and silk and is best done outdoors – see the comment about silk.
How to cook sweetcorn? Most people will say boiling the cobs (ears) is the only way, but they are so wrong! Microwave it in husk, roast it in foil or strip the kernels off with a sharp knife and use in many delicious recipes.
All those methods and more feature in my collection below.
This is the simplest and my favourite method, provided you get your sweetcorn in husk. Microwave it on full power for 3 minutes per ear. It steams and emerges tender and juicy. Following this recipe slather it with the topping of tahini butter.
Corn on the cob with tahini
RECIPE
Korean corn cheese, konchijeu, is often made with tinned sweetcorn, but in season you should use fresh and slice the kernels off with a knife. Corn cheese is a snack served with beer, but it’s far too delicious to be only ever a drinking accompaniment!
Another recipe with kernels stripped off the cob, Mexican street sweetcorn salad, esquites. The corn is cooked in the frying pan and mixed with a salty, herby, spicy, cheesy dressing. In my view, the second best thing after a holiday to Cancun!
Mexican street sweetcorn salad
RECIPE
As above, strip the corn off the cob then use it to make cheesy bacon and sweetcorn enchiladas. The filling is wrapped in crisp, toasted corn tortillas then baked with red salsa. Assemble and bake them straight away, so they don’t get soggy standing around.
Bacon and sweetcorn enchiladas
RECIPE
A bit of an effort cutting the cobs into ribs but do not worry if they are not cut perfectly evenly. The ribs are then roasted in the hot oven, seasoned with sweet and hot spice mix and served, sprinkled with a Middle Eastern dukkah topping.
Cheese and sweetcorn is an irresistible couple, here in a tart made on a crusty base of pizza dough. It's vegetarian and gorgeous, as a snack, for lunch or dinner. Use leftover frozen pizza dough or a shop bought dough portion or base.
Here we have three great recipes in one wonderful dish. One: fresh sweetcorn slicked in butter and charred with a touch of spice. Two: Old Bay seasoned roasted chicken fillet, tender and juicy. Three: herbed and crispy feta crumbs sprinkled over the dish. It’s a perfect trio.
Chicken with fried corn and crispy feta
RECIPE
Fresh corn is great in salads, here with bacon, avocado, crumbled feta and furikake seasoning on a bed of iceberg lettuce. You can strip the kernels and cook them with bacon, like the recipe tells you to, or cook the corn on the cob, shave the kernels and add to cooked bacon.
Corn, bacon and avocado salad
RECIPE
Creamed sweetcorn is a classic, better known in America but fully deserves popularising here too. Sweetcorn kernels are cooked in cream which takes minutes only, with blue cheese added at the end. It is then piled over fresh ripe tomatoes for the best summery combination.
Creamed sweetcorn with tomatoes
RECIPE
Chilli con corn is a vegetarian sweetcorn chilli with beans that goes well with tortillas, baked potatoes or nachos. Fresh sweetcorn vs a tin of Green Giant, even ‘with no sugar added’ is like the choice between a wagyu burger and McDonalds. Except the price because corn on the cob is really cheap in season.
A riff on the paella theme: sweetcorn and chorizo rice which is stupidly easy to cook. Like with my other paella recipe, you don't need a special pan. And yes, you can swap chorizo for another kind of sausage.
Rice with corn and chorizo
RECIPE
Another salad with fresh sweetcorn shaved off the cob, cooked with Italian ‘nduja sausage and served on a bed of shredded lettuce. With crispy, spicy tortilla strips as a topping, it’s an easy and gorgeous lunch dish.
Sweetcorn and 'nduja salad
RECIPE