(Farmers) Market Report #2
Short dispatches and recipe ideas for locally farmed and made products
A fresh salad of corn, tomatoes, and black beans in a decorated blue ceramic bowl.
This week's highlights: Corn and Tomatoes
Growing up I knew corn as a cooked vegetable. Mom would steam shucked corn in a small, shallow pot with a bit of water until the kernels were soft and sweet. We would eat it unadorned, maybe with a bit of butter and salt. Not too much butter though. It was the 90's and fat was enemy #1 of parents trying to raise healthy kids.
My first job was working on a farm - a The Food Project crew member working on their Concord and Roxbury lots in 2001 - and I distinctly remember my surprise and mild horror when our farm director shucked and ate corn raw right on the field. Raw! My father grew up on a corn and soybean farm in Iowa. Their crops were destined to become cow feed. Therefore, I was under the impression that raw corn was inedible, digestible only for cows and their four stomachs.
The farm director laughed kindly and told me the corn varieties for cows and humans are very different. She offered us each an ear to snack on. Ever up for a food adventure, I dove in. My mind was blown. It was like tasting sunshine - pops of sweetness that melted into creamy milk. It was unlike the corn I'd ever had up until that point and in that moment I never wanted to boil corn again.
Since that moment on the field I discovered grilled corn, which falls just under raw corn as my favorite corn. And there are places where boiled corn is very welcoming and balancing, as in seafood boils. But no matter the cooking method, I notice that cooking rounds out the vibrancy of corn's raw state. Cooking intensifies the sweetness which balances out the char in grilling or the spices in a boil. But steamed corn on its own with butter is just a sweet treat. Not a bad treat per se, but a ghost of its past self.
Street Corn Inspired Salad with Tomatoes and Beans
A close up of the salad just after it has been mixed!
This salad was born on the fly. We needed food for a road trip and I had corn and tomatoes from the farmer's market I didn't want to waste. Focusing on the corn first, my mind went to the flavors of Mexican street corn, a grilled corn topped with crema or mayonnaise, fresh cheese, chili, and lime juice. I added the tomato out of personal necessity and canned black beans to round it out into a meal. The end result was spectacular! Creamy, tart, and just a touch spicy, light but filling while on the go.
My first thought was to char the corn for this salad but like the Jews trying to make bread before exodus, I ran out of time. Below reflects my version with raw corn, but if you have the time and desire, toss the corn kernels on a hot cast iron pan with scant oil and char them up. Let the kernels cool before combining in the salad and I'm sure it will be delicious!
3 ears of sweet corn, cut off the cob
1 large ripe tomato, chopped as you like
1 15-oz can of black beans, rinsed
Handfuls of chopped cilantro, red onion, and/or scallion
A generous crumble of Cojita, Queso Fresco, or Feta Cheese
Mayonnaise to taste (Japanese style mayonnaise is my favorite)
Juice of ½ lime
A generous pinch or two of chili powder of choice (my favs include Ground Sannam Chilis from Diaspora Co. or Chili Today! from Curio Spice)
Salt to taste
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss gently to combine. Taste, adjust seasoning, taste again. Serve immediately or chill until you are hungry. It will hold several days in the fridge, so save leftovers if you manage to have any.