Sweetcorn

Storage

Leave sweetcorn cobs wrapped in their protective husks and store in the salad drawer of the fridge. Sweetcorn benefits from being eaten before its natural sugars turn to starch, reducing its sweetness. Ideally, eat within a day or two, though they’ll last for up to a week.

Prep & Cooking tips

If you want to cook them directly on a BBQ then they are best kept in their husks and soaked for 20-30 mins before cooking. Once soaked, they’ll take 15-20 mins on a glowing BBQ. For all other purposes you’ll need to remove the husk – just rip off the leaves then pull off the silky threads, or rub them off with a clean tea towel. You can remove the kernels by holding it vertically and running a sharp serrated knife from top to bottom as close to the core as possible.

You can boil them, unrobed, in salted water for 12-15 mins until tender. BBQ'd or boiled, they can just be munched straight from the cob with whatever additions you see fit. When stripped from the cob, the kernels are best braised in a little stock and wine until tender. The spent cobs make a good addition to a summery stock pot.

Easy ideas

1. BBQ

One for the outdoors. Soak some corn (still in their husks) for half an hour in cold water. Place them on a BBQ and cook over medium coals for about 15-20 min, until the husk has started to burn and the kernels are tender. Peel the husk back and rub the corn with your favoured flavour; salt, lime and chilli work well. Devour straight from the cob using the bunched husks as a heatproof handle.

2. Boiled & buttered

Strip away and discard the husks and stringy silks, and boil the corn for 12-15 mins until tender. Rub with salted butter and gnaw from the cob. You can flavour the butter with any number of herbs and spices; try paprika and chilli, lemon zest and parsley or just a few turns of black pepper.

3. Braised

Strip away and discard the husks and stringy silks. Hold the corn vertically and strip away the kernels with a sharp knife. Braise them with some onions and garlic in a little white wine and stock until they are tender, about 15 mins. Try adding chopped spinach, chilli and even a swirl of cream at the end to enrich. This makes a great base for a chowder if you lengthen it with a little more stock or milk. Finish with some roasted squash and smoked cheese, cooked ham hock and watercress or smoked fish, crab and parsley.

Goes well with

Alliums (Garlic, Leeks, Onions)
Bacon
Beans
Butter
Chilli
Citrus
Courgettes
Herbs (Basil, Chervil, Coriander, Parsley, Thyme)
Shellfish
Squash
Tomatoes