Think about the way it looks in the light of the sun as you pull back the tough husk, like golden beads gleaming. The brief crispness of a buttery kernel...the way it pops in your mouth in such an oh-so-pleasing way. Oh
my
gosh.
Yes. I have a severe obsession with corn. Hey, it doesn't have the nutrients that a green vegetable might, but it's better than eatin' a cupcake! I eat it like candy in the summertime...and with fields and fields of corn surrounding me on this flat turf, Ohio is good for something, right? We get that "gold" straight from the field.
Sadly (and I say sadly because the topic of this conversation is a bowl of corn,) I felt the need to write this evening about a dish my Nannie made tonight for us at home. She and Granddaddy are visiting from Florida, so she always makes those few wonderful dishes that only Nannie McCurry can make when they make the hike up here. Tonight, it's creamed corn, and it's something she has been making for us for years...something that never seems to get old. And it's so funny to watch her make it, standing at the stove with her slippers and robe reading a trashy romance novel, the potholder on the top of the pot next to her. It might seem like she's engrossed in the text, but she's got that boiling pot in the corner of her eye.
Nannie's mom called it fried corn, though it's really not fried..more like boiled.
The natural sweetness without a hint of sugar, just a brief bite of crispness, creamy smoothness.......an old southern favorite. I don't know, there's just no other way to describe it.
I had to try it again and again...
No matter how full I got, it just wasn't enough! My dad even asked about the possibility of getting another two dozen ears or so and making a huge pot to freeze for a winter "stockpile"....we're like Midwest chipmunks. But hey, you can't blame us, considering how darn long winter lasts here.Here's how you make this awesome concoction....simplicity at its best. It takes some practice, I will tell you. I still can't make it taste like hers!
You'll need 10-12 ears to make a smaller batch
Cook time: about 45 minutes
You'll need around 20 or so ears (wow!) to make a huge batch as seen in these magnificent photos, (and keep in mind these were taken AFTER the five of us dug in)
Cook time: about an hour and a half
1.Remove the husk, and clean the corn well. You don't want any leftover silks in your pot because they will mess up the texture and make it stringy. 2. With a very sharp knife, cut the very tips of the kernels off and NOTHING more into your pan. This with basically open up your kernels and access the creaminess inside instead of keeping them whole.
3. With a table knife, scrape the rest of the kernels off thoroughly....as much as you can off of there. This is the good stuff- it makes the thickness and texture of the dish.
4. Then, add enough water to make it look soupy, probably a few cups, plus about a 1/2 stick of margarine cut into small pieces, plus salt and pepper to taste.
5. Now, turn on that burner! Start on a high temperature to bring the mixture to a boil. Then, immediately bring it down to a heavy simmer/bubble. Keeping the lid on will help to quicken the process.
6. KEEP AN EYE ON IT. (That's why Nannie was at the stove.) You want the water to cook out and be absorbed, but not too quickly. If you run out of water, add more so it won't brown.
7. Follow the above cooking guidelines. Keep it covered and "hydrated" until it's the right consistency of creamed corn- thick, creamy, but not watery.
I'm telling you...it was out-of-this-world good! Of course, you probably don't have cornfields surrounding your house....but if you do, you're in luck!
