Cooking For Engineers

[Dilbert]

Our local sweet corn is hitting its peak about now - here's a dumb, simple and very fast method for freezing corn off-the-cob. I've used it for 4-5 years now and the winter cook/eat results are excellent.

One can always find frozen corn in the market - typically white or yellow, perhaps shoepeg - but not the bi-color. the stuff our local farmers grow is a bi-color SSE hybrid and it really is spectacular. I do not know why the commercial operations do not process bi-color, but they don't.

A dozen ears will need a one gallon freezer bag.

Basics:
- feel thru the husk to locate the start of the kernels, cut the silk end cleanly
- shuck the corn, de-silk. I leave the stem end on as a "handle"
- stand ears on silk end and with a very sharp knife, slice off kernels
- spread the kernels in a shallow layer and pop into the freezer for hours/overnight
- use a wood/plastic spatula to break up the frozen layer, move to a zip lock bag and then directly to the freezer as quickly as possible.

The Details:
- trim & prep


- slice off kernels
(it helps to leave a pile of kernels on the board; on a clear surface the cut-off kernels fly around a bit too much)

- spread out in a thin layer
(the blocked out area provides an easy starting place for removal)


- into the freezer


- free the frozen kernels from the pan
(really juicy corn sticks/freezes to the pan. covering with a towel helps prevent "popping corn" loss all over the kitchen. you can also wipe the pan bottom with a hot dish cloth to help loosen the frozen kernels.)


- into the bag