Market Watch: Sweet corn

By Rick Nelson

Someone at Nistler Farms in Maple Plain knows a thing or two about writing compelling sign copy. "Average produce eaten in Minnesota travels 1,553 miles. How far is Nistler Farms from your house?" was a real attention-grabber, but my personal favorite was also the catchiest slogan I've encountered for a sweet corn vendor: "We make butter taste better."

They sure do. Despite the cool and dry summer we've been having, sweet corn -- which thrives under hotter, wetter conditions -- has finally arrived at metro-area farmers markets. Jeff Nistler's stands are a popular destination at several Minneapolis farmers markets, and last Saturday was no exception.

While Nistler was the frontman at the Minneapolis Farmers Market, his pal Mark Nordeen was helping staff the farm's Mill City Farmers Market outpost, nimbly yanking freshly cut ears of sweet corn (six for $3.75, a dozen -- which means 14 in Nistlerland -- for $7) out of enormous burlap bags and stacking them as fast as shoppers were buying.

"I like the idea of city people meeting growers, and talking to people about corn education," he said. Here's what I learned: "Most people overcook corn," he said. "When you buy it fresh, it doesn't need much."

Nordeen's fail-proof method preserves the corn's snappy texture and sweet, milky flavor, and it couldn't be easier: Strip off the husks and silk, place the ears in a pot, cover with water and cook over high heat. When the water reaches a boil, remove the pot from the heat, drain and serve immediately. Just add butter.

When I stopped by the University of Minnesota Farmers Market on Wednesday afternoon -- a pretty swell market, by the way -- I ran into Nistler. I told him how much I had enjoyed the corn I'd purchased a few days earlier, and he got to talking about how early-season corn is often not nearly as sweet as corn that matures later in the summer.

"It's funny," he said. "People don't ask me if it's good, they ask me if it's sweet. When I set out two varieties, I'll ask: 'Do you want sweet?' or 'Do you want good?'

The U of M's market is located on the Church Street pedestrian mall, just north of Washington Av. SE., in front of Lind Hall, Murphy Hall, the Tate Lab and Mechanical Engineering, and it's held on Wednesday between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

On with the recipes:

MEXICAN SALAD WITH CORN, MANGO AND TOMATOES

Serves 12.

3 mangoes, peeled and diced

2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1 c. (about 2 ears) fresh sweet corn kernels

1/2 c. freshly chopped cilantro

Salt and pepper to taste

1 handful salad greens per person

Directions

In a large bowl, gently toss together mango, cherry tomatoes, red onion, sweet corn, cilantro and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Arrange salad greens on plates, spoon corn salad on top of greens and serve.

SWEET CORN WITH BACON

Note: From "The Fireside Cook Book" by James Beard (Simon & Schuster, $30).

4 strips bacon, cut into small pieces

2 c. (about 4 to 6 ears) fresh sweet corn kernels

Directions

In a large skillet over medium heat, fry bacon until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to an absorbent paper towel to cool. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons bacon fat from pan. Over medium-low heat, saute corn in bacon fat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in bacon bits and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Note: From "The Best Skillet Recipes" by America's Test Kitchen (America's Test Kitchen, $35).

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 medium shallot, minced (about 3 tbsp.)

Salt to taste

3 c. (about 6 to 8 ears) fresh sweet corn kernels

1 tsp. freshly chopped thyme

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Add shallot and 1/4 tsp. salt and cook until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Increase heat to high. Stir in corn and cook, stirring often, until it is heated through but still crunchy, 2 to 4 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir in thyme and season with salt and pepper. Transfer corn to a serving dish and serve.

Makes 16 mini-pancakes.

Note: From "Heirloom Cooking with the Brass Sisters" by Marilynn Brass and Sheila Brass (Black Dog & Leventhal, $29.95).

1 c. (about 2 ears) fresh sweet corn kernels

1 c. flour 2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

2 eggs, yolks and whites separated

1/2 c. milk 1 tbsp. butter, melted

2 tbsp. butter, at room temperature

1 c. sour cream

1/4 c. freshly chopped chives

In a medium pot of boiling water, blanch sweet corn for 30 seconds. Drain, rinse with cold water, drain and reserve. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and pepper and reserve. In a large bowl, beat egg yolks, then beat in milk and melted butter until well-combined. Add flour mixture and stir gently to combine. Fold in corn. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Fold egg whites into batter. In a large frying pan over medium heat, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Spoon 1 tablespoon batter into pan for each pancake, gently pressing down on pancakes with a spatula once they are formed to make them thinner. Cook pancakes until tops begin to bubble around the edges, about 2 minutes. Turn and cook until undersides are golden brown, about 2 minutes more. Serve immediately, topped with sour cream and chives (or keep warm on a parchment paper-lined tray in a 200 degree oven for no longer than 15 minutes). Leftover pancakes can be stored in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator; re-heat in a frying pan over low heat with melted butter.

SPAGHETTI WITH CLAMS AND SWEET CORN

Serves 4.

Note: Adapted from "EatingWell In Season: The Farmers' Market Cookbook" by Jessie Price (EatingWell, $24.95).

6 oz. uncooked spaghetti

3 c. chopped sweet onions

1 tsp. salt

1 c. (about 2 ears) fresh sweet corn kernels

6 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. dried thyme 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2/3 c. dry white wine, such as pinot grigio

1 lb. fresh clams, minced

1/2 c. chopped fresh basil

1/2 c. chopped fresh parsley

1 lemon, cut into wedges