Here's How to Use Up All That Corn

The unofficial end of summer may be just days away, but that doesn't mean that one of the season's most-abundant crops has slowed down. From farmers markets and roadside produce stands to the aisles of your local grocery store, corn — a lot of it — is everywhere right now. On this morning's brand-new episode of The Kitchen, the co-hosts shared their top tricks for putting this seasonal beauty to work while it's still around. Check out two easy recipes from Geoffrey Zakarian and Marcela Valladolid below for their signature takes on this staple ingredient.

GZ reinvents the traditionally rich dish of creamed corn with his no-cream recipe. His secret? Pureeing the kernels of a few ears , which produces a naturally creamlike texture after only a few whirls in the blender. He combines that corn juice with whole kernels and adds crispy chopped bacon for a salty bite. Perhaps the best part is that his recipe can be on the table in a hurry, so it's ideal for last-minute entertaining.

Potato salad is likely making an appearance at your Labor Day cookout spread this weekend, so why not update it with Marcela's corn-studded version for a dressed-up favorite? She opts for red-skinned potatoes instead of the classic Idahos, and for guaranteed bold flavor, she adds charred chiles to the fresh corn to create smoky results. Keep it simple with the dressing: A duo of tangy sour cream and mayonnaise will marry the ingredients. Marcela notes that you make this potato salad a day ahead of serving it; just keep it chilled until 30 minutes before you want to dig in.

Pakistani Salad with Lemon Dressing

What is patriotism but the love of the food one ate as a child?

- Lin Yutang

As a Pakistani, I can vouch for the fact that the words 'Pakistani' and 'Salad' do not go hand in hand. Pakistanis eat meat and (over)cooked vegetables. Salad is always something on the side - if it makes an appearance at all. It is usually either just lettuce leaves or sliced cucumber to be eaten alongside the 'real' food, or a medley of 'hard' vegetables (ie. radishes, cucumbers) dressed with vinegar or lemon.
I love these Pakistani hard vegetable salads and think they deserve pride of place on a plate. They are a blessing for a cook because they can be prepared and dressed well in advance without going soggy the way lettuce-based salads do. 

My Pakistani salad usually consists of radishes, cucumbers, tomatoes, bell peppers, carrots, and anything else I can find in my fridge. I recommend throwing in some raw red onion or scallions/spring onions to add some bite. My dressing usually consists of plenty of olive oil, lemon and fresh coriander leaves.

PAKISTANI SALAD with LEMON DRESSING

(Serves 4)

Dressing Ingredients:

6 Tbsp Extra Virgin olive oil

Juice of 1 lemon

Handful of fresh coriander leaves (around 3 Tbsp), roughly chopped

Generous pinch of salt and black pepper

Salad Ingredients:

1 medium cucumber, quartered and sliced into 1-inch pieces

1 carrot, quartered and sliced into 1-inch pieces

2 medium tomatoes (or 8 cherry tomatoes), cut into 2-inch pieces

1 bell pepper (any color), cut into 2-inch pieces

8 radishes, quartered

Half a raw red onion (or 2 scallions/spring onions), thinly sliced

Directions:

1. Combine all the Dressing ingredients in a small jar or bowl and mix well.
2. Cut all the Salad ingredients and toss them together in a salad bowl.
3. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss until the vegetables are evenly coated.
4. Refrigerate and serve.

for Best salads in ann-arbor: www.saladsup.com

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