In Season: Minnesota Grown Sweet Corn

Minnesota Grown season is literally happening all around you, right now! And it's happening big time in our markets, where you'll find an abundance of delicious, nutritious, locally grown fruits and vegetables. Once again, Untiedt's Vegetable Farm of Waverly, Minnesota, brings us the pick of the crop this month. Their Minnesota Grown sweet corn is the vegetable we wait all year for, and this month it's at its peak!

Down at the farm, Jerry Untiedt and his team use unique planting processes to ensure that their fresh sweet corn crop is available for an extended period of time each season. It's why you can find it in our markets as early as July and often into October. Using a low-density planting pattern, each ear is allowed to fill out completely, unlike corn planted at high densities which typically produce fewer kernels per ear.

Like all crops at Untiedt's, this sweet corn is hand-harvested to mitigate waste and prevent damage to the ears. Once picked, it is promptly cooled and handled with care on its daily drive to all Kowalski's Markets. Select corn with green, moist-looking husks and plump kernels that burst with juice when poked. Keep the husks on for storage in the refrigerator and use within a few days of purchase.

Cooked corn is great right off the cob, of course, but you can also use fresh corn kernels in a wide variety of recipes, from guacamole, salsas and soups to salads, muffins and casseroles. See below for some flavorful, fresh ideas.

• Make a raw summer salad by combining raw corn kernels with your choice of zucchini, mango, jicama, red onion, cucumber and tomato with chopped fresh herbs like basil or cilantro. Dress simply with olive oil, fresh lime juice and salt and pepper. Add feta or goat cheese, if desired.
• Make a corn salsa by replacing half of the diced tomatoes in your recipe with corn kernels or simply add corn kernels to the prepared salsa of your choice.
• Serve corn kernels as a taco or nacho topping.
• Add fresh kernels to any soup, especially gazpacho.
• Sprinkle corn kernels on green salads.
• Grill corn and mix the kernels with tomatoes and basil; toss with lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.
• Sauté corn kernels quickly in a hot skillet with chopped onion and a bit of butter; season with salt and pepper.
• Add fresh kernels to cornbread or corn muffin recipes, even blueberry muffin recipes; just mix them into the batter before baking.
• Gently stir corn kernels into pancake batter before cooking.