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FRESH CORN CHOWDER
Makes 6 cups

4 slices bacon, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 medium celery stalks, diced
6 small ears of corn
4 ½ cups milk
2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 ½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground white or black pepper
1 tablespoons butter

In soup pot over medium heat, cook bacon, stirring, until it releases its fat and begins to crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Leave bacon in the pot, spoon off all but 2 tablespoons of fat. Add and cook onion and celery, stirring, until tender and slightly brown, 10 to 15 minutes.

Remove kernels from ears of corn, set kernels aside but add cobs to the soup pot along with milk and potatoes. Push cobs into milk to fully submerge them. Bring milk to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, until the potatoes are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove cobs. Stir in reserved corn kernels along with seasoning. Simmer gently until the corn is tender, about 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove 1 ½ cups solids from the soup and purée until smooth. Return to soup; add butter. Let stand until butter is melted, then stir. Ladle into warmed bowls.

TRADITIONAL CORN PIE

An authentic Berks County recipe

1 dozen ears fresh white corn
OR 2 packages frozen corn
4 potatoes, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cups. water
1 cup. celery, chopped
4 hard boiled eggs (chopped fine)
1 cup. milk (maybe a little more if needed)
4 Tbsp. butter
Your favorite pie crust (1 frozen ready-made pie crust)

Cook corn, potatoes, onion and celery in water until done, drain water. Add eggs, milk and butter.

Use a deep pie dish. Put into pie crust and scratch the lid.

Bake on a cookie sheet at 375° F. for 30-45 minutes or until golden brown.

Note: SHORT CUT Use a prepared freezer crust for the bottom crust and a refrigerator crust for the top. The recipe is as follows:

Use 4-5 ears of fresh corn, removed from the cob. Put the corn into the pie shell, add 1 tsp. salt, 3 tbls. of flour and 2 tbls. of softened butter (dabbed on top of corn). Add milk until you see it come up around the sides. Place 2 eggs (hard boiled; sliced) on top of the corn. Cover the pie with a top crust. Bake at 375° F. for about 60 minutes. (serve topped with a white sauce).

SOUR CREAM CORNBREAD
Makes 16 servings

1 cup fresh corn kernels, coarsely chopped (about 2 medium-size ears)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup yellow cornmeal
¾ cup unsifted all-purpose flour;
3 tablespoons sugar
2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, slightly beaten
¾ cup milk
½ cup sour cream

Sauté corn in butter in small saucepan over medium-low heat for 3 to 5minutes or until tender; reserve.

Preheat oven to 400° F. Grease 9x9x2-inch-square baking pan. Sift Together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt onto wax paper.

Whisk together egg, milk and sour cream in large bowl until well blended.

Whisk in corn. Add cornmeal mixture; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Do not overmix. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean and bread is golden. Cool slightly in pan on wire rack.

Cut into squares and serve warm.

Nutrient value per serving:154 calories;4 g protein; 8 g fat; 18 g carbohydrates, 229 mg sodium; 69 mg cholesterol.

BAKED CORN

This old southern recipe goes well with all kinds of meals, especially at the holidays. It is always requested at all the holiday meals, and there is never any left! This is a very easy recipe to prepare. Originally submitted to ThanksgivingRecipe.com.

1 (15.25 ounce) can whole kernel corn
1 (14.75 ounce) can cream-style corn
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 eggs
1 (12 ounce) package corn muffin mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Combine the whole-kernel corn, cream-style corn, sour cream, melted butter or margarine, beaten eggs and corn muffin mix. Mix well and pour into one 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 35 to 45 minutes.

SWEET CORN CASSEROLE

This sweet corn-studded casserole is a great side to serve with practically any Mexican-inspired main dish.

Estimated Time Needed: 
Preparation: 10 mins.
Cooking: 40 mins. 
Cooling: 15 mins

1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
1/2 cup masa harina flour, (Mexican corn masa mix)
2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn, partially thawed
3 tablespoons cold water
3 tablespoons yellow corn meal
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons evaporated milk
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder, (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie plate. Place butter, vegetable shortening and flour in a food processor; cover. Process until creamy. Add water and corn; process until corn is coarsely chopped.

Combine cornmeal, sugar, evaporated milk, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in corn mixture until combined. Spread into prepared pie plate. Sprinkle with chili powder.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until firm and lightly browned around edge.

Cool on wire rack for 15 minutes before serving. Scoop or cut into wedges to serve.

Serves 8

CORNCAKES WITH MAPLE-YOGURT TOPPING

2 large eggs, beaten
¾ cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
¼ cup yogurt
¾ cup stone-ground cornmeal
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup whole wheat flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar

Topping:
8 ounces yogurt
2 ounces maple syrup

Stir together egg, milk, oil and yogurt. In another bowl, combine dry ingredients. Gradually stir in dry mixture into liquid, a third at a time.

Fry corncakes in a lightly oiled pan.

Combine topping ingredients, and spoon onto corncakes.

Makes 6 to 8 corncakes.

CORN MUFFINS

(These are particularly good with chili or spicy soups and stews)

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup stone-ground cornmeal
3 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup sour cream
1 egg
½ cup buttermilk

Put dry ingredients, except baking soda, in a large mixing bowl. Mix baking soda with sour cream until it bubbles a little, then add to dry ingredients with egg, and fold in gently but thoroughly. Add up to ½ cup buttermilk if batter seems too thick. Fill greased muffin tins and bake at 350° F. for 20 to 25 minutes or until done.

Makes about 12 muffins.

SCAPPLE OR PAWNHAAS

(A Pennsylvania Dutch specialty, traditionally made with pork trimmings of whatever nature.)

2 large pigs' knuckles
½ pound lean pork
3 quarts water
1 tablespoon salt
1 hot red pepper (optional)
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ to 1 teaspoon sage
2 ¾ cups cornmeal

Simmer the pigs' knuckles and pork in water with salt and red pepper until meat almost falls from the bones, about two and one-half hours.

Remove the meat from the broth, discard the bones and grind the meal Strain the broth and skim off the far, if desired. Measure two quarts of broth into a large heavy kettle. Return the meat to the broth and add pepper and sage. Bring to a rapid boil.

Mix cornmeal with one quart of cool broth, add to the boiling broth and cook, stirring, until thickened. Place on a trivet over lowest heat and cook covered, stirring often, about 30 minutes longer. Adjust seasonings.

Turn into two bread pans, cool, cover and chill overnight.

To serve cut into ½-inch slices, coat with flour and brown over moderately high heat in butter or other fat.

Serves 12

POLENTA

2 quarts (or slightly more) cold water
1 ½ teaspoons coarse-grained salt
½ pound stone-ground cornmeal
½ pound regular ground yellow cornmeal

Bring cold water to a boil in large pot. When water reaches the boiling point, add the salt. Mix the two types of cornmeal together and begin adding the cornmeal to the boiling salted water.

Pour the cornmeal in a very slow stream, while stirring with a wooden spoon. Be sure to pour slowly and steadily while stirring or the polenta can easily become very lumpy. Stir slowly, without stopped for 40 to 45 minutes, from the point when all of the cornmeal was added to the pot. If some lumps form, push them against the side of the pot to crush them.

If the polenta is to be used as an appetizer (deep-fried or baked) or to prepare small canapés, prepare a smooth surface of marble by wetting it with cold water (or spread aluminum foil, shiny side up over any surface, and wet that). When polenta is cooked, taste, adjust seasoning and leave it over the heat without stirring but scraping with the wooden spoon from the sides of the pot. In this way steam will form under the polenta and it will completely detach itself from the bottom of the pot. After 3 minutes, quickly turn the polenta out onto the prepared surface if it is to be deep-fried or baked.

Makes 6 cups

POLENTA DEL CASENTINO

(Polenta from Casentino in Tuscany, Italy)

For the sauce:
2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms
2 large leeks, cleaned, OR 2 large red onions
3 large celery stalks
2 cloves garlic, peeled
½ cup olive oil
6 Italian sweet sausages, preferably without fennel seeds
½ cup (approx.) all-purpose flour
1 veal shank with bone and marrow
1 cup dry red wine
2 cups fresh tomatoes or drained canned Italian tomatoes
5 tablespoons tomato paste
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup beef or chicken stock

For the polenta:
2 quarts of cold water (approximately)
1 ½ teaspoon coarse salt
½ pound stone-ground yellow cornmeal
½ pound regular grind yellow cornmeal

Prepare the sauce: Soak dried mushrooms in a bowl of lukewarm water for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, finely chop the leeks, celery and garlic together on a board. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. When it is hot, add the chopped ingredients and sauté over medium heat, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until lightly golden grown, about 15 minutes.

Prick the sausages in several places with a fork and flour the veal shank on both sides. Add the sausage and veal to the saucepan and sauté lightly for 3 or 4 minutes. Then add the wine and let it evaporate (about 10 minutes). Pass the tomatoes through a food mill and add them to the saucepan along with the tomato paste. Cook for 5 minutes.

Drain the mushrooms and be sure that no sand remains attached to them. Add the mushrooms to the sauce. Tate for salt and pepper and simmer, uncovered for about 1 hour, adding broth as needed. The texture should be smooth but thick.

Prepare the polenta with the ingredients listed, following the directions in the preceding recipe. When the polenta is ready, turn it out onto large serving dish. Pour the sauce and sausages over and serve it hot.

Serves 6

SCALLOPED VEGETABLES

1 can (11 ounces) condensed cream of onion soup
½ cup milk
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
dash pepper
4 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels
½ cup finely chopped green pepper
1 tablespoons butter
cooked crumbled bacon (garnish)

In small bowl, combine soup, milk, parsley and pepper in 1 ½-quart casseroles, arrange alternate layers of corn and green pepper and soup mixture, ending with the soup mixture. Dot with butter and cover.

Bake at 375° F. 1 hour. Uncover; bake 15 minutes more or until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon.

Serves 4

HUSH PUPPIES

1 ½ cups white or yellow corn meal
½ cup all-purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
3 tablespoons grated onion
1 egg
¾ cup milk
fat for deep frying

Measure corn meal, flour, baking powder, salt, sugar and onions into bowl. Stir well to mix evenly. In another bowl, beat egg until frothy. Stir in mil. Pour into dry ingredients. Stir to blend well. Allow to stand until mixture firms up a bit. Drop by small spoonfuls into hot fat or oil heated to 375° F. until browned. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot.

Makes 2 dozen hush puppies.

BOSTON BAKED CORN

1 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoons dry mustard
1/2 teaspoons alt
1 small onion; chopped
3 cup fresh corn
3 slices bacon; diced

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 1 1/2 quart casserole.

Mix ketchup, brown sugar, dry mustard and salt; stir in remaining ingredients, except bacon, until well blended. Top with bacon; transfer to casserole and bake until bacon is cooked and heated through, about 40 minutes.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

CORN PUDDING

4 cups corn
1 cup cracker crumbs
4 cups milk
4 eggs
2 tablespoons sugar
pinch nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
butter

In a large bowl, mix together the corn, cracker crumbs and milk. Beat the eggs fairly well and add to the corn mixture. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg; stir well. Pour into a pudding pan or large baking dish and dot with bits of butter. Bake slowly in a warmish (300°) oven for about an hour.

CORN MOLASSES

(This is a good substitute for maple syrup!)

12 ears sweet corn
3 pints water
1 pound brown sugar

Bring water to a boil in large pot and add corn cobs. Boil for ¾ hour.

Remove cobs from water, strain liquid, add brown sugar and boil down enough to make a syrup.

MASHED POTATOES WITH CORN

4 medium baking potatoes
1/2 cup milk
2 ears fresh sweet corn (to make 1 cup kernels)
4 tablespoons butter
Salt, freshly ground black pepper, and cayenne

Peel and quarter the potatoes. Bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil, add the potatoes and boil them, partially covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.

While the potatoes are cooking, heat the milk in a small saucepan, add the raw corn kernels, butter, and seasonings, and heat until the butter melts.

When the potatoes are done, put them through a ricer or coarse strainer. Mix in the corn and milk mixture and beat until fluffy. If the potatoes are too stiff, add a little more milk.

Makes 4 servings.