One of the foodstuffs (did I just use the word "foodstuffs"?) I missed when I lived in France was corn on the cob. When I moved there in 1992, it just was unavailable. My husband told me that French people thought corn left on its cob was for pigs. Over the years, corn became more common, but it was always shucked, shrinkwrapped, shriveled, and expensive. One time I calculated that it would cost me a dollar an ear if I bought some. So fresh corn was a luxury. The French don't really do frozen corn, by the by. They put cold canned corn into salads, but that's about it. Again, this is slowly changing.
Here I am back in the States, and corn is abundant. I do wonder where it is coming from, though. My forebears were farmers, and I grew up hearing the "knee high by the Fourth of July" mantra. July 4th isn't happening for a month, yet fresh corn is available. (I am able to stifle my "buy in season, buy local food" voice for the Yellow Essence Of Summer).
Because I am still in "cook so that a family of four will have leftovers" mode (I doubt I will ever be out of this mode), Allan and I happened to have leftover corn on the cob in both the freezer and the fridge. Today I used it all up in a Barefoot Contessa salad from this book. Here's the recipe:
5 ears corn, shucked
1/2 cup small-diced red onions (1 small onion)
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, cut in a chiffonade
1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the corn for 3 minutes until the starchiness is just gone.
2. Drain and immerse it in ice water to stop the cooking and to set the color. When the corn is cool, cut the kernels off the cob, cutting close to the cob.
3. Toss the kernels in a large bowl with the red onions, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Just before serving, toss in the fresh basil.
4. Taste for seasonings and serve cold or at room temperature.
Here's what it looked like:
It was delicious. But we still have leftovers.
Looks good! I'm going to have to try that recipe.
Posted by: kklink | June 06, 2006 at 13:43
I am so glad that summer is here. I love summer foods: popsicles, ice cream, BBQ chicken, potato salad...and ESPECIALLY corn on the cob. Yum! The recipe looks absolutely wonderful and summery.
Posted by: Janet | June 06, 2006 at 13:50
I hate the way the French shrink wrap the corn and leave it unrefrigerated. I miss it too, so I know how you felt.
Posted by: angela | June 06, 2006 at 14:09
It looks delicious. And the colors are so fresh looking.
I'll give it a try.
Thanks,
Posted by: cassie-b | June 06, 2006 at 14:27
Oooh, corn on the cob, I miss you! Not to mention red onions, what I wouldn't give for red onion for my salad every now and then!
Posted by: samantha | June 06, 2006 at 14:47
A great photo. As always.
Posted by: Mike | June 06, 2006 at 16:31
Gee without the cob variety in France, it must have left you with a rather lonely corn hole you were just aching to have filled.
What?!? What did I say?!?
Posted by: Thomas | June 06, 2006 at 16:40
i do not like corn b/c it reminds me of the time i ate it with braces. i can still feel it in my teeth and on my gums. shudder!
Posted by: jeorg | June 06, 2006 at 16:45
i am SO making that. it looks delicious. great pics!
Posted by: ms. sizzle | June 06, 2006 at 17:55
YUM. I had known that about the French and corn on the cob. I love it myself, but hate picking it out of my teeth.
Posted by: Margaret | June 06, 2006 at 20:31
MMmmm I'm on my way for those leftovers :)
Posted by: meredith | June 07, 2006 at 03:04
When I moved to North Dakota, I missed grits, greens (collard or mustard?), black eye peas, good salty ham, cornbread... People there thought I was crazy. I was telling one about it once and he asked me, very seriously, "You mean like soul food?" I'm so very glad to be back in the south.
Posted by: melanie | June 07, 2006 at 13:16
Another thing I don't miss about France.
Posted by: Duke | June 07, 2006 at 18:06
Black-eyed peas are the food I miss the most from Texas (they just aren't available here in upstate NY). I've been known to have my aunt overnight me a bushel (to the tune of $100) just so I can shell them and have a few bags in the freezer for the lean months.
I can live without fresh okra, I do fine without grits, but I do seriously crave a pot of fresh black-eyed peas simmered with a ham hock for a few hours. Remove the ham hock, let it cool, remove the ham from the bone and shred it and return it to the pot. Heat through again. Put of hunk of pipin' hot cornbread (preferably cooked in a cast iron skillet) in a bowl, then ladle the black-eyed peas, ham and liquid over the top. Perfection.
(I also desperately miss Shiner Bock but haven't found a way to have it shipped to me yet.)
Posted by: Crystal | June 08, 2006 at 04:27
Hrm. I'm saving that. It looks wonderful!
Posted by: Chris | June 08, 2006 at 11:52
pretty picture ali...
Posted by: daphne | June 16, 2006 at 11:55