Seasonal pantry: Mexican corn on the cob takes it up a notch

One small - very small - blessing of school starting in the middle of summer is that weeknight dinners can be put together quickly without compromising taste or quality. Indeed, it is how we should be cooking most of the time at the time of year. Harvest is there for the picking and the taking and it doesn't need much to keep us happy and well nourished.

Tomatoes, eggplant, tomatillos, chilies, Poblanos and sweet peppers, eggplant, okra, all manner of green beans, zucchini and other summer squashes, sweet onions and more are at their peak and another heat wave could send some of these treasured foods, especially tomatoes, right over the edge towards the end of their season.

It is time to enjoy corn, too, cut off the cob and folded into risotto, succotash, chowder, salads, and more and enjoyed neat, on the cob, preferably cooked moments after being picked.

In case you haven't noticed, Mexican corn on the cob has become a thing, along with Mexican hot dogs and avocado toast. It's a popular street food that is showing up on various menus, including the bar menu at K & L Bistro in Sebasastopol.

It is easy to make and enjoy at home, too, and just as easy to turn it into a full meal, as you will see in the third recipe here.

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The biggest difference in the two versions of Mexican Corn on the Cob offered here is technique. One is cooked on an outdoor grill, the other in a hot oven. You can use either method for either recipe; this one is a bit more mild than Versions 2

Mexican Corn on the Cob, Version 1

4 fresh ears of corn, shucked

1/2 cup Kewpie or Best Foods mayonnaise

1/2 cup Mexican crema or creme fraiche

1 teaspoon red chili powder

1 garlic clove, crushed and minced

1/4 lemon

- Kosher salt

- Black pepper in a mill

3/4 cup (3 ounces) Mexican cojita or similar cheese

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Prepare a fire in an outdoor grill. When the fire is ready, set the corn on the grill rack, placing it to the side of the hottest part of the coals. Turn fruquently, and cook until evenly browned, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the mayonnaise and crema or creme fraiche into a medium bowl, add the chili powder, garlic, and a few pinches of salt and squeeze a little lemon juice over it. Stir until smooth; taste, correct for salt, and season with several turns of black pepper.

Working quickly, transfer the corn to a flat platter and slather each one all over with the mayonnaise mixtures. Scatter cheese and cilantro on top and enjoy right away.

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This version uses the delicious and fiery hot green chili powder from New Mexico. If you have trouble finding it, look on line, where it is readily available.

Mexican Corn on the Cob, Version 2

Serves 4

4 fresh ears of corn, not shucked

1/2 cup Kewpie or Best Foods mayonnaise

1/2 cup Mexican crema or creme fraiche

1 teaspoon green chili powder, plus more to taste

2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced

1/2 lime

- Kosher salt

- Black pepper in a mill

3/4 cup local, French, or Bulgarian feta cheese

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, chopped or crumbled

4 lime wedges

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

When the oven reaches temperature, set the corn on the middle rack and cook until it is tender, about 40 minutes.

Meanwhile, put the mayonnaise and crema or creme fraiche into a medium bowl, add the chili powder, garlic, squeeze of lime, several generous pinches of salt and several turns of black pepper. Stir well, taste, and correct for heat, salt, and acid. Cover and set aside.

When the corn is cooked, carefully set it on a clean work surface and use your hands--preferably gloved--to pull back the husks and silks, removing and discarding as much of the silks as possible.

Set a flat platter and slather all over with the mayonnaise mixture. Scatter cheese, cilantro, and oregano on top, garnish with lime wedges, and enjoy right away.

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Here, roasted poblanos and grilled chorizo form a bed for the grilled corn and transforms the dish.

Gussied Up Mexican Corn on the Cob

Serves 4

1-2 jalapeños or serranos, grilled, peeeled, cored, and minced

4 poblanos, grilled, peeled, cored, and cut into medium julienned

3-4 garlic cloves, peeled and cut into very thin slices

2 tablespoons best-quality white wine vinegar

- Black pepper in a mill

4 fresh chorizo, in natural casings (see Note below)

- Mexican Corn on the Cob, Version 1 or Version 1

3 tablespoons shelled, roasted, and salted pumpkin seeds

- Hot corn tortillas

Prepare chilies if you have not already done so. Put the jalapeños or serranos into a small bowl and set aside.

Put the poblanos into wide shallow serving bowl, add the garlic, vinegar, and several turns of black pepper and toss gently; set aside.

Grill or fry the chorizo. When it is done, cut each sausage in thirds and toss with the poblanos.

While cooking the chorizo, prepare the corn according to its recipe and when it is done, set each ear on to of the poblanos.Add the toppings listed in the recipe and then scatter the pumpkin seeds on top.

Enjoy right away, with the tortillas alongside form a holder for the poblanos and all the succulent juices.

Note: Do not use the chorizo that you find in Latino markets or the Mexican section of local stores. It is the wrong texture and contains too much fat for this dish. Instead, get your chorizo from Franco's One World Sausage, So. Co. Meat Company, or other local maker.

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Night markets in Malaysia almost always have huge cauldrons of very fresh corn boiling in the humid night. When someone places an order, an ear is fished out, put into a big napkin, and seasoned only with finely ground black pepper. The corn is so rich and delicious it needs nothing more. Feel free to make it in this way if you like. Our corn is not typically quite as rich and can use a slathering of peppery butter.

Malaysian Corn on the Cob, with Variations

Serves 6

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, preferably local

1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns

1 teaspoon kosher salt

6 fresh ears of corn, shucked

Melt the butter in a small sacuepan over medium heat. When it is melted, remove it from the heat and stir in the peppers and salt. Set aside and keep warm.

Grill the corn over a charcoal fire or on a stove top grill. When it is done, transfer to a serving platter. Using a pastry crush, slather each eat of corn generously with the pepper butter.

Enjoy right away, with the remaining butter and plenty of napkins alongside.

Variations:

For a French-inspired version, add 2 teaspoons (or more to taste) of Dijon mustard to the butter.

For an Italian-inspired version, add 2 crushed and minced garlic cloves and 2 mashed anchovies to the butter. Sprinkled with grated Parmigiano or similar cheese and minced Italian parsley to the finish corn just before serving it.

For a Spanish-inspired version, rub each cooked ear of corn with tomato before adding the butter. Sprinkle with Spanish paprika and top with grated Manchego.

Michele Anna Jordan is the author of 24 books to date including “The Good Cook's Book of Salt & Pepper.” Email her at michele@micheleannajordan.com.