Miles Collins

What to do with all those kernels….

Every year I sow too much sweetcorn, I work on the assumption that because they should be planted in blocks I had better plant more than one block so one ends up being two, two goes into three and and by block four I am left wondering how I shall eat my way through sixteen corn on the cob plants.

As much as I love freshly cooked sweetcorn basted with butter, black pepper and dried chilli flakes I can only eat so much. After one I want to brush my teeth and tuck into something more substantial so invariably the remaining cobs end up frozen, pickled or pureed.

Sweetcorn makes a fantastic soup which can be paired with meat such as chicken or bacon (crisply fried pancetta is especially good), herbs can be complimentary; coriander, parsley and mint all work well particularly if blended with oil to make a thick, fresh emulsion to drizzle over the soup before serving.

Sweetcorn fritters make a nice snack; drop into a thick batter flavoured with coriander, chilli and lime and shallow fry until crisp or puree them before blending into some mashed potato and cook as for fish cakes.

More often than not I end up making two or three jars of sweetcorn relish to use on sandwiches or to eat with steak or cold cuts:

5-6 cobs boiled for 3 minutes before removing the kernels. 1 medium sized finely chopped onion. 1 pint white wine vinegar. A quater of a dutch white cabbage shredded thinly. A pinch of dried chilli flakes (optional and to taste) 4oz sugar, 2 tsp salt, 1tbsp English mustard powder, i tsp ground turmeric, 2 cloves.

Boil the vinegar and dry ingredients until the sugar has dissolved. Add the onion, then the cabbage and two minutes later the corn, cook gently until tender. Pot into warm, sterile jars.

This recipe depends on the size of the cobs and the cabbage, look out for a small cabbage, a quater may be too much so use your own judgement.