RECIPE: Summer Succotash

Difficulty Level: Easy

Ingredients:

One onion, diced

2-3 zucchini, diced
2-3 ears of corn, shucked and kernels removed*
2 Tbs olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large skillet or saute pan over medium high heat.  Add the olive oil, and when hot, add onions.  Cook until softened, giving it a stir or two.  Add the zucchini and cook until softened and lightly browned on the bottom, give everything a good stir and add the corn.  Cook for just a few minutes more, about 5 or so, until the corn is looking bright and plump.  Take the pan off the heat, add salt and pepper to taste.

*Corn Tips

I find that storing corn in the crisper drawer of the fridge, husks intact, is the best way to prevent them from drying out.  They can be easily husked by holding them in one hand, silky top pointing away from you.  Grab ahold of the silk with your free hand and pull it towards you.  Repeat all the way around until all the wrapper leaves are bunched around the stem end and bend everything away from you until it all snaps cleanly off.  Lingering corn silk can be simply washed or brushed off.

To cut the kernels from the cob, hold the corn over a large bowl in the palm of one hand with the pointy tip facing away from you.  With a large, sharp, knife, position it against the kernels at the tip, perpendicular to the cob.  Then, tilt the tip of the knife upward until the blade is at a 45 degree angle facing away from you.  Start to pull the knife towards your body slowly, cutting off the kernels as you run the blade along the cob.  If your knife is sharp and at an angle like this, it should cut through the base of the kernels easily, separating them from the cob.  If the knife seems to get stuck, gently jiggle it a bit until it starts moving again.  DO NOT try to force it through at the risk of the knife slipping. 

I find that this is the fastest way to remove corn from the cob.  If you know that you won't be able to get to all the week's corn, it is a good idea to cut the kernels off the cob and freeze them in ziplock bags.  They freeze beautifully and can be used months later for a little taste of summer.