It’s Finally Time for Everyone’s Favorite Summer Vegetable

Welcome to our summer produce series. Every week until the end of August, we’re highlighting the most in-season fruit or veggie of the moment, as handpicked by the experts at Natoora. You can learn more about the company and how they work with farmers in our first piece of the series.

Corn has become a commodity. It’s used in food, drinks, livestock feed and fuel ethanol production. Much of the time, especially when it’s out of season, it’s pretty dull and flavorless. But even the blandest and most uninteresting corn is nutritious when eaten as a whole food. It has a solid amount of fiber and B vitamins and even contains some iron and potassium. And — maybe most importantly to produce lovers like us — when you buy heritage corn from smaller farms, it’s going to taste really good, especially right now.

I’ll use frozen or canned corn on occasion when it’s out of season, and it tastes fine. But now that the fresh stuff is finally here, I’ll be buttering it up on the grill, using it to stud fresh cornbread, and eating it alongside lobster and clams for the rest of the fleeting summer. Yes, you could walk into your local grocery store and probably find some decent ears this time of year, but if you really want to turn it up a notch, check out the farmers market for some of the sweetest corn money can buy. Here’s what to look for, courtesy of Natoora:

• What to look for when shopping: Well-grown newer varieties remain sweet for several days after being picked, unlike older varieties whose sugars convert very quickly into unpleasant starches.

• How to store for maximum freshness: Store dry and cold.

• How to use: There are lots of ways to use summer sweet corn. At its peak, enjoy raw, or sauté, steam, boil or grill if you want to cook it.

Peaches Are Having a Glorious Season. Here’s How to Make the Most of It.

After a tough 2023, peaches are juicy, sweet and plentiful. Celebrate the beloved stone fruit with this delightfully savory recipe.

The Corn Recipe

One of my favorite places to travel in the summer (and anytime of year, for that matter) is upstate New York. The Catskills are quiet and stunning, and there is always a cool new restaurant, bar or property to check out in one of the area’s charming small towns. And because there’s a lot of farmland in the Hudson Valley, another perk is going right to the source: farm stands and markets are abundant, and the produce is excellent.

A locally-sourced menu is one of the many amazing amenities you’ll find at Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resorts Collection, a rural resort set on 140 acres in Gardiner, New York. At on-property restaurant Clay, seasonal produce, some of which is grown in Wildflower’s garden, is the star of breakfast, lunch and dinner — think hamachi crudo with yuzu, strawberry and sea lettuce, and cavatelli with charred tomato, shichimi and Thai basil. But the dish that might be the highlight of their summer menu is the red snapper for two served with a corn fumet, which is a richly-flavored stock that can be made with meat, fish bones or vegetables.

“The sweetness of the corn blends well with the earthiness of the chanterelle mushroom and is balanced by the red snapper fumet,” says Chef Liezl Odendaal of the dish. “We have added our Romano beans from the farm, which gives it a crisp texture and freshness.”

Fish with corn and a side of wild mushrooms with olives? This is basically my dream summer dish. If you too want to try this corn recipe at home, get to your farmers market this week while this of-the-moment ingredient is still at its prime.

Corn Fumet and Red Snapper for Two

Servings: 2

Ingredients

• 50 grams chopped onion
• 5 grams chopped garlic
• 1 ear of corn, blanched and kernels cut from the cob
• 10 chanterelle mushrooms
• 125 ml. white verjus
• 250 ml. fish stock
• 80 grams Romano beans
• 10 grams spring onions, finely sliced
• 100 grams shimeji (beech) mushrooms
• 100 grams lion’s mane mushrooms
• 100 grams maitake mushrooms
• 20 grams pitted green olives
• 50 grams butter
• 200 grams red snapper
• Edible flowers, for garnish (optional)
• Fresh herbs, for garnish

Directions

• For the corn fumet:
• Sauté the onion, garlic, corn and chanterelle mushrooms with butter.
• Deglaze the pan with the white verjus and fish stock and reduce by 70%. Add Romano beans and spring onion.

• For the side mushrooms:
• Sauté the shimeji, lion’s mane, maitake and green olives with the butter until lightly caramelized. Sprinkle in some fresh herbs of your choice, if desired.

• To finish the dish:

• Sear the fish, skin side down, until crispy. Turn and bake in a 360°F oven for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the size of your fish.
• In a bowl, plate the corn fume, topped with the red snapper. Garnish with fresh edible flowers and herbs, and serve the mushrooms on the side.