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30 Days of Summer Corn Recipes

30 Days of Summer Corn Recipes

By Food & Wine

Updated August 20, 2020

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Credit: Aubrie Pick

Among tomatoes, stone fruit, and berries, corn is another summer produce star, and you can use it in everything from grilled cheese to ice cream (no-churn ice cream, in fact!). We also love adding it to salads, steaming it with lobster, and of course, grilling cobs, too. Read on for those recipes, and more corn dishes we’ll be making this season.

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Day 1: Green-Market Tacos with Corn Crema

Credit: © Con Poulos

Toss sweet summer corn and raw green and yellow wax beans in a creamy, tangy mix of yogurt, feta, olive oil and cilantro to use as the filling for tortillas. It's a great vegetarian meal on a hot day because there's no cooking involved. For carnivores, it can easily be embellished with sliced roast beef, ham or shredded chicken. Just be sure to get the freshest corn and beans you can find.

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Day 2: Creamless Creamed Corn with Mushrooms and Lemon

Credit: Frances Janisch

"My granny taught me that when corn is very fresh, the juices are naturally creamy," chef Kevin Gillespie says. "I took that as the gospel." He grates half of the corn here to make a puree that thickens without cream. And, pro tip: Gillespie recommends scraping corn cobs with the dull side of a knife to remove the juices.

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Day 3: Grilled Corn with Nasturtium Emulsion and Flowers

Credit: Bobby Fisher

F&W Best New Chef 2017 Jay Blackinton, of Hogstone’s Wood Oven on Orcas Island, Washington, emulsifies fresh nasturtium leaves with mustard, apple cider vinegar and oil to form a bright tasting and green spread for sweet grilled corn. For an even more striking presentation, he sprinkles edible flowers and herbs on the corn as well.

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Day 4: No-Churn Corn Ice Cream

Credit: Johnny Autry

No need to hunt down an ice cream maker for this simple no-churn ice cream—just the sweetest fresh summer corn you can find. Corn kernels get blitzed in a food processor then strained and simmered down into a sweet pudding that forms the base of this dreamy dessert. A drizzle of store-bought dulce de leche provides the perfect buttery-sweet finish.

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Day 5: Grilled Corn with Cotija and Quicos

Credit: Aubrie Pick

Hot off the grill, charred sweet corn gets slathered in tangy lime mayonnaise and topped with extra-large crunchy quicos, or corn nuts, in Traci des Jardins’ version of elote. For a plated version, cut the kernels from the cobs and toss with lime mayo and quicos, then scoop and serve.

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Day 6: Whipped Corn Dip with Chili Oil

Credit: Nicole Franzen

F&W’s Justin Chapple blends sweet corn with creamy ricotta in this delicious and versatile dip.

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Day 7: Grilled Sweet Corn with Coconut Glaze

Credit: Ian Flanigan

F&W Best New Chef 2016 Kris Yenbamroong of Night + Market in L.A. calls this one of his favorite summer treats because it's "high pleasure, low hassle." The coconut milk and sugar in the sauce he generously glazes the grilled corn with intensify the sweet flavor.

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Day 8: Corn-and-Zucchini Orzo Salad with Goat Cheese

Credit: Con Poulos

Kay Chun takes pasta salad to a new level with sweet grilled corn, zucchini and a creamy lime dressing spiked with chile powder. She uses fresh cilantro to add brightness and then tops the whole salad with tangy slivers of fresh goat cheese.

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Day 9: Grilled Scallops with Miso-Corn Salad

Credit: Victor Protasio

“In summer, I cook [scallops] on the grill until just kissed by the flames and pile them on top of warmed veggies with a bright dressing,” Gail Simmons writes. “This version, a favorite for quick and easy backyard dinners, incorporates miso, ginger, and toasted sesame, adding a savory dimension to the salad and a rich contrast to the corn and scallops’ inherent sweetness.”

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Day 10: Corn-Studded Corn Muffins with Honey Mascarpone

Credit: Nicole Franzen

F&W’s Justin Chapple keeps his corn muffins light and moist by using buttermilk in the batter.

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Day 11: Creamy Shrimp, Corn and Tomato Chowder

Credit: Fredrika Stjärne

Carla Hall has a short-cut ingredient in this recipe: a can of creamed corn. She uses it to add sweet corn flavor to her take on chowder and to thicken the broth in place of too much cream or flour. It’s a simple and quick recipe that comes together in just 45 minutes.

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Day 12: Kale-and-Corn Pakoras

Credit: Cedric Angeles

A combination of chickpea and rice flours yields a batter that makes these pakoras fry up light, lacy, and extra crunchy. Sweet summer corn and peppers join with hearty kale to give these vegetarian fritters extra heft.

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Day 13: Grilled Cheese with Corn and Calabrian Chile

Credit: Photo by Tara Donne / Food Styling by Chris Lanier / Prop Styling by Raina Kattelson

Nancy Silverton’s L.A. restaurant Pizzeria Mozza celebrates unfussy, straightforward, focused food that uses fresh California produce. This upgraded grilled cheese by the 1990 BNC alum is filled with a charred sweet corn-studded blend of nutty English-cheddar, sharp caciocavallo, and just enough mayonnaise to bind it all together.

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Day 14: Kalbi Ribs and Grilled Corn with Kalbi Butter

Credit: John Kernick

Chef Stephanie Izard’s Korean beef kalbi ribs are a summer mainstay. They’re especially fantastic with the crisp, buttery charred corn here.

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Day 15: Grilled Squash, Corn and Kale Salad with Sunflower Seed Vinaigrette

Credit: Adrian Gaut

The creamy sunflower seed dressing for this hearty summer salad is flavored with za’atar, the classic Middle Eastern spice mix that often includes thyme, oregano or marjoram, sesame seeds, tangy sumac and often salt.

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Day 16: Corn Chaat with Tomato-Tamarind Chutney

Credit: Jennifer Causey

Traditional chaat, an Indian street-food snack, throws every addictive flavor and texture together, from crunchy and fried to cool and creamy, tangy to sweet and fiery. Chef Biju Thomas uses grilled fresh corn for his summertime version. The chutney does much of the work here—tart, sweet, and layered with aromatic ginger and spices.

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Day 17: Sweet Corn Succotash with Shiitakes and Sugar Snaps

Credit: Photo by Tara Donne / Food Styling by Chris Lanier / Prop Styling by Raina Kattelson

This bright, buttery succotash by Katy Sparks (BNC 1998) is a perfect summer side dish that comes together in minutes. “My inspiration for this dish is to take a fresh look at an American classic, succotash, which is usually sweet corn cooked together with lima beans or other green beans,” Sparks says. “I like to lighten it up with summery snap peas and add meaty shiitakes for depth of flavor. Fresh basil in the smoked paprika butter elevates the whole recipe to something that pairs wonderfully with anything you want to throw on the grill: chicken, pork, fish, burgers, eggplant, and peppers.”

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Day 18: Grilled Cobia Salad with Corn and Watermelon

Credit: John Kernick

Chef Kevin Willmann of Farmhaus in St. Louis likes to grill cobia, a sweet, flaky whitefish, for this bright, refreshing salad with corn and watermelon. If you can’t get wild cobia, mahimahi or even farm-raised cobia are also a sustainable choice. Willmann also suggests chilling the grilled fish before assembling the salad for easier and cleaner flakes.

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Day 19: Steamed Lobster and Corn for a Crowd

Credit: Victor Protasio

All you need for this simple recipe is fresh corn, live lobsters, and melted salted butter (do not use clarified butter).

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Day 20: Potato Salad with Fresh Corn And Basil

Credit: Photo by Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Margaret Dickey / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen

Red baby potatoes are ideal for potato salad because of their tender skins and creamy interiors that hold together, even when cooked. Quickly soaking the onions in vinegar mellows their bite and allows the summery fresh herbs to shine in the dressing. Be sure to taste the salad after chilling and adjust the seasoning before serving.

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Day 21: Uchepos (Fresh Corn Tamales)

Credit: Victor Protasio

Fresh pureed corn is wrapped in its husks and steamed until firm. The resulting sweet corn tamales are delicious served with salsa verde.

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Day 22: Grilled Corn on the Cob with Calamansi Mayo

Credit: Victor Protasio

Chef Sheldon Simeon’s recipe for a Hawaiian twist on Mexican elote features grilled corn slathered in a creamy, cheesy calamansi mayonnaise, which gets its acidic twang from a sour citrus fruit native to the South Pacific (you can substitute Key Limes in a pinch).

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Day 23: Grilled Okra, Corn, and Tomato Salad

Credit: Victor Protasio

This next-level summer salad turns heads with its punchy charred jalapeño–and-herb-spiked dressing and a palate-perking topping of toasted crunchy coriander and cumin seeds.

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Day 24: Corn Potage

Credit: Greg DuPree

A riff on Taiwanese corn soup, chef Jonathan Yao’s Corn Potage soothes with its deep flavor and silky-smooth texture.

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Day 25: Rosemary Chicken with Corn and Sausage Fricassee

Credit: © Con Poulos

For juicy, flavorful chicken, chef Nina Compton soaks her drumsticks in a simple brine for 45 minutes before grilling. This is her summer version of the dish, which changes throughout the year: She uses butternut squash and mushrooms in the fall and fresh fava beans, English peas, and fiddlehead ferns in the spring.

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Day 26: Green Corn Soup

Credit: Con Poulos

This silky, cool corn soup gets its great flavor and fun color from spinach and jalapeños. Laura Rege brightens it up with a touch of fresh lime juice as well.

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Day 27: Goat Milk–and–Corn Panna Cotta with Blackberries

Credit: Christopher Testani

This delicately sweet and tangy panna cotta from Top Chef winner Brooke Williamson is the perfect way to showcase plump summer fruits. We use blackberries here, but you could also swap in strawberries, raspberries or juicy sliced peaches.

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Day 28: Corn Husk–Grilled Goat Cheese with Corn Relish and Honey

Credit: Victor Protasio

Andrea Slonecker calls this dish “the perfect pre-dinner snack on a summer evening.” Don’t forget the grilled crostini for serving.

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Day 29: Sweet Corn and Bourbon Bread Pudding

Credit: Victor Protasio

For this fun, Southern-inspired dessert, Top Chef Season 16 winner Kelsey Barnard Clark uses entire ears of corn—broiling corn kernels and using corn milk from the cobs—to give her bread pudding recipe a summery, fresh-corn flavor. A topping of caramel popcorn adds a sweet crunch and whimsy. Lime zest in the crème anglaise and a splash of bourbon keep it from leaning too sweet.

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Day 30: Crunchy Eggplant and Corn Salad with Mint and Feta

In this quick-cooking recipe, corn is just lightly charred to add a bitter note, offsetting its sweetness. A simple pairing of that charred corn with crunchy breaded eggplant makes a quick and satisfying dinner, while the glug of hot chile oil drizzled on top finishes off each plate.

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