CORN FOR A CROWD

Sweet white corn in early summer, yellow and white corn in August, and the yellow ears at summer’s end—-we love them all.  Down our way, Old Bay often has a large part to play in corn prep.  For a backyard picnic, here’s an easy, delicious way to get them all ready for the table a little bit ahead of time.  No big pots boiling, easy shucking, all set and ready to eat when the party starts.  Easy to adjust quantities—both of corn and of the add-ins.

• Cook unshucked ears in microwave—2-3 at a time. 2 minutes for early white corn, 3 minutes for others.  Check with fork for doneness—microwaves vary.
• In low oven, melt 6-8 tblsps of butter, in each of 1 or 2 large baking pans.
• When butter is warm and melted, add fresh chopped herbs (parsley, cilantro, tarragon, dill, etc. to taste), generous amounts of salt and pepper, a little paprika, some red pepper flakes, and Old Bay to taste—mix to combine well and keep pans warm in low oven.
• Shuck corn when it’s warm—silk will slip off easily.
• Break each ear into 3 pieces and toss well in the pans of melted butter—hands are the best tools to assure each piece is well flavored.
• Cover pans lightly with foil and keep warm in very low oven.
• When ready to serve, toss corn again and sprinkle with a bit more Old Bay.

The Kitchen Hive