The Sweetness of Corn Cookin’
by Paulette Millis

Corn is a grass that was domesticated and cultivated in the American continents, likely in the Andes and then as part of the Maya and Aztec civilizations. Maize, the proper name for corn, is a word of Indian origin. For many Indian civilizations corn was their basic food, as well as having religious significance. In Central and South American corn belts it was also used as currency and the husks were wrapped around tobacco to make simple cigars. It was also used as jewellery, building material, fuel, and to decorate temples, homes, ceramics, and toys.

Calling corn a vegetable is an exclusively American practice and came about as the early settlers saw maize flourish while their former staple crop, wheat, failed. Corn is actually a grain, and the settlers found it to be more versatile than wheat as they could eat it fresh as a vegetable and dry as a grain. It was also easy to harvest by hand. Johnny Cake, Corn Muffins, Hush Puppies, and Corn Pudding are all American dishes made with corn.

There are hundreds of varieties of corn, some mature as early as two months and some take considerably longer. The ears can be thumb sized or two feet long. The kernel colours range from white, yellow, blue, and brown to black. Commercially grown varieties are divided between those used dry (e.g. cornmeal, hominy, animal feed) and sweet corn, for eating fresh. Sweet corn that has become old and starchy can be used as a dry corn as well. Dry or field corn is called “flint corn” when the starch is very hard.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Corn, like brown rice and barley, is a balanced starch and it is one of the easiest foods to digest. Due to its high roughage content, it is best to avoid corn if you are on a soft diet. It is also high in carbohydrate so it is best to use it sparingly if weight loss is desired.

Yellow corn is high in magnesium, one of the elements we need so much. I find many people are deficient in magnesium which is why I recommend having corn grits with eggs for breakfast instead of toast. Magnesium is a wonderful bowel regulator in addition to being necessary for muscles, particularly the heart. Yellow corn is also higher in phosphorus than white corn. Phosphorus is necessary for the brain and nervous system.

A corn gruel, or broth, made with yellow corn is very soothing to the intestinal tract. Mixing it with brown rice or barley improves flavour.

Corn has had a poor reputation for lack of nutrients and its high carbohydrate content, however it also contains the minerals calcium and iron, and the vitamins A, B, and C. Yellow corn has more vitamin A than white corn, and of course, if it is grown on good soil it will have more nutrients. Corn is low in the amino acid lysine but does contain other amino acids, and if combined properly with legumes (beans), corn will supply a complete protein. So don’t cross corn off your list! When making cornmeal recipes consider adding a few tablespoons of soy flour to balance the amino acid content. The American Indians used ground dried nuts, seeds, and vegetables with their cornmeal, enhancing nutritional value and flavour.

Corn syrup, a simple carbohydrate, is a liquid form of sucrose. Sucrose is actually two even simpler sugars—fructose and glucose—bonded together. Read labels for “high fructose corn solids” as they may be as high as 55% sucrose. This can be harmful for a diabetic who believes he or she is buying fructose. It is best to get fructose from fruit.

BUYING, COOKING, AND STORING

The very best flavour in sweet corn is to pick the cob from the garden, husk it, and cook immediately. Twenty minutes after picking, the sugar begins converting to starch so the fresher the better. It is so sweet right from the patch it is good enough to eat raw! Farmer’s Markets are great choices as they usually pick their produce just prior to market. If the corn is not cooked soon after picking keep it in the refrigerator or in a cold place to slow down the conversion to starch.

Look for fresh, snug green husks with dark brown moist silk at the husk end. Firm, plump, and juicy-looking kernels packed tightly together and filled to the tip of the cob are best. Avoid soft, yellowed husks, dried silk, or any with signs of decay or worm damage. Tiny kernels indicate immaturity and large, tough kernels over-maturity.

Freezing fresh sweet corn soon after it is picked yields a tasty vegetable in the winter months. Blanch small ears six minutes, medium ears eight minutes, and large ears ten minutes in boiling water, then immediately immerse in ice cold water to cool and then drain. Tongs are handy for this process. The kernels can easily be cut from the cobs by holding the stalk end down on a cutting board and slicing from top to bottom with a sharp knife, cutting close to the cob. Blanching vegetables before freezing, or drying, slows or stops the action of enzymes. If not blanched long enough enzymes continue to be active during frozen storage, and therefore off flavours, discolouring, and toughening may result. These enzymes are vital nutrients when eating the vegetable uncooked.

To cut kernels from a large amount of corn, a device can be made by cutting a clean wooden board to fit a cake pan. Drive a 3 to 4 inch nail into the board all the way through, turn it over and place in the cake pan with the nail sticking up. Place the stalk end on nail, hold the other end steady, and slice the kernels into the pan. See the recipe for freezing corn in the recipe section below.

The leftover corn cobs may be cooked in water to cover for 30 minutes and then drain off the liquid. This is a great soup base or may be used in other recipes calling for vegetable stock.

To dry corn, steam the cob for two to two and a half minutes, cut from the cob, and dry in a dehydrator.
In addition to corn soups, corn muffins, kernel and creamed corn, try using corn in pancakes, omelettes, in cookies, puddings, salads, or fruit breads. Corn grits are excellent as a cereal, or just served as is instead of bread or potatoes with a little butter.

You can make your own grits by grinding dried corn. Home ground cornmeal is whole grain and therefore more nutritious than degerminated commercial cornmeal and works better in recipes due to a greater thickening power. There are many products available made with cornmeal such as nachos and tortillas.

Cornstarch is pure starch made from corn to use as a thickener.

Popcorn, a hard variety of flint corn, pops when the moisture trapped in the kernel expands and explodes when heated. If popcorn is too dry, it will not pop properly, but splits with a muffled pop, or scorches without popping. Too dry popcorn can be moistened by placing 3 to 4 cups in a jar and adding a tablespoon of water. Close jar tightly and shake well twice a day for a few days. Repeat if necessary.

RECIPIES

BREAKFAST CORN GRITS

(use as a cereal, serve with butter and celtic salt, or in place of potatoes, rice, or bread)
1 cup corn grits
3 cups water

Place in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, cover, and let cook about 5 minutes. Stir frequently. When water is absorbed, grits are done.

For cereal: may add nuts, seeds, dried fruit, as desired.

CORN CHOWDER

Simmer until tender:
3 cups vegetable broth or pure water
2 cups diced potatoes
1 small onion, chopped or 2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp celery seed or 1/2 cup chopped celery
When these vegetables are tender add:
2 cups whole kernel corn
Blend:
1 cup water
1/2 cup cashews
2 tbsp arrowroot powder

Add this blended mixture to the above and heat thoroughly or until it thickens.

Makes 9 one-cup servings.

BAKED CORN

Cut the corn kernels from the cob and scrape the cob. Place kernels in a buttered baking dish. Add a little butter and celtic sea salt and mix well. Bake at 350°F until set and crusty brown.

YUMMY FROZEN CORN KERNELS

Mix in a roasting pan:
10 cups corn kernels cut from cobs
2 cups pure water
1 tbsp celtic sea salt
2 tbsp honey or other natural sweetener (may use less)

Place in 375°F oven and let come to a bubbly boil, stirring several times. Processing takes about 1/2 hour. Let cool overnight. Place in containers and freeze.

SAUTEED CORN MEAL SLICES

The best breakfast ever!
1 cup corn meal grits
3 cups pure water
Choose all or some of the following ingredients:
green and/or red sweet peppers
onions, chopped and sauteed
organic ground meat, such as turkey, bison, or lamb, sauteed
minced garlic
parmesan cheese (use soy or rice for dairy-free)
herbs: basil, oregano
butter

Saute meat, onions, garlic, and peppers (if using) in a little butter. In a separate saucepan, cook the 1 cup of grits with the water, stirring frequently until tender, about 5 minutes of slow boiling. Add cooked ingredients and remaining herbs if desired. Add parmesan cheese and pour into a buttered loaf pan and refrigerate overnight. Unmold, slice, and saute for breakfast. Dust with flour before sauteeing if slices are too sticky.

PAULETTE’S SPECIAL POPCORN

This is also great leftover the next day!
1 bowl popped popcorn
1 tsp Bragg’s Vegetable Seasoning
(liquid) or to taste
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 cup melted butter or to taste
1/3 cup nutritional yeast flakes or to taste

Melt butter over low heat. Add remaining ingredients except popcorn, stir until combined and pour over hot popped corn, stirring to coat.

CORN BREAD**

3 cups cornmeal
(whole, not degerminated)
2 cups milk (use Rice Dream for dairy free)
3 eggs, separated
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey or molasses
1 tsp celtic sea salt

Beat egg yolks and combine with all ingredients except egg whites, mixing to remove all lumps. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into batter. Bake in oiled pan for about an hour at 375°F, depending on the coarseness of the corn meal.

CORN PUDDING***

4 cups milk or soy milk
2 cups fresh, uncooked corn,
cut from the cob
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp celtic sea salt
3 beaten eggs
Optional: 1 cup grated cheese
(use Vegan for dairy-free)

Mix all of the ingredients together, except the cheese. Bake in an oiled, 8-inch round casserole dish for 45 minutes at 350°F. Sprinkle grated cheese on top if desired. Variation: add 1/2 cup chopped green pepper or one chopped onion, or 1/4 cup of both, sauteed lightly.

POLENTA PIE***

Serves 4–6
1 cup stone ground yellow corn meal
1 tsp celtic sea salt
1/2 tsp crumbled dry sage
3-1/2 cups cold water

Mix the dry ingredients in a two-quart saucepan. Stir in the cold water. Cook, stirring constantly, until very thick. This recipe does not lump. Pour into an oiled, flat 1-1/2 quart baking dish. Bake until firm, about 15–20 minutes, at 425°F. Cover the meal crust with the following mixture.

Filling:
1 pound cheese, cubed
(use Vegan for dairy-free)
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped ripe olives
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped, cooked chili peppers
1 cup homemade tomato sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp oregano
Optional: 1 egg.

Mix all the ingredients and spread over hot corn meal crust. Bake in 425°F oven until the cheese melts.

*taken from Nutrition, Cooking and Healing, Paulette Millis
**taken from The Complete Book of Natural Foods, Fred Rohe
***taken from The Unabridged Vegetable Cookbook, Nika Hazelton

References: The Unabridged Vegetable Cookbook, Nika Hazelton; The Complete Book of Natural Foods, Fred Rohe; The Kitchen Gardener’s Companion, Pat Katz; Foods That Heal, Dr. Bernard Jensen.

The above information regarding nutritious food is not intended to replace any instruction from medical or health professionals.

Paulette Millis lives and works in Saskatoon as a nutritional consultant. Her cookbook, Nutrition, Cooking, and Healing, is available in health food stores or by calling (306) 244-8890.