Norm's father Earl loved corn-on-the-cob, steamed in a big pot of water and served with nothing but salt and butter. When he bought a house in the suburbs with his stepfather, who'd owned rooming houses in the city, the old man started a garden in the backyard and tried growing corn, which he battled the local crows for. Earl liked golf better than gardening so after the old man's death, he'd buy a bushel of corn from a farmer in the fall, peel the ears, steam them and freeze them in large plastic bags for the winter. So Norm grew up liking corn too. He brushes it the cobs with oil, sprinkles it with salt and cajun spice mix, wraps the ears with foil and bakes them on the BBQ.
My dad, Arthur, didn't like corn at all. Mash made from corn grown for animal feed was on the menu when he was a forced labourer in a German camp during WWII. So my mom didn't buy it often and we kids thought it was a treat when we got canned Green Giant corn niblets with our mashed potatoes.
It's hard to get non-GMI corn in grocery stores now. You can try growing organic corn at home (the crows have been waiting) or take a trip to Mexico....
Mexican Street Corn #1
- 8 cobs of corn
- butter and salt
- 3/4 cups feta or Cotija cheese
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tsp chile powder
- zest of 1 small lime (2 tsp)
- Grill 8 cobs of corn, season with butter, salt and pepper.
- In a bowl, combine cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, cilantro, chile powder, lime zest.
- Spread mayo mixture on corn, sprinkle with extra cheese and cilantro, serve with lime wedges.
Mexican Street Corn #2
- 4 large ears of corn
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1/8 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- juice of 1/2 lime
- red chili powder to taste
- lime wedges for garnish
- Grill 4 cobs of corn.
- In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, cilantro, lime juice.
- Spread mayo mixture on hot corn, sprinkle with parmesan and red chili powder to taste.
- Serve with lime wedges.
