Chef Chris Wilber, Canyon Restaurant, Southwestern Cuisine and Cooking Fresh Corn

August means harvest season in many areas.  One of my favorite memories growing up in Connecticut was going to the local farm to buy freshly picked corn.  We would rush home and cook it immediately.  I can still taste the fresh sweet flavor.  Corn is an important ingredient in most cuisines.  It’s especially important in Southwestern cooking. My guest on my weekly National Public Radio program Chef Chris Wilber from Canyon Restaurant in Ft.Lauderdale talked about corn’s influence in his cooking.   

Corn is an all-American vegetable and has a rich history in Native American and Southwestern cultures. Native Americans instructed the Spanish conquerors in the harvesting and use of corn – roasting it in clay pits, making cornmeal and dough for tortillas. Corn in the Southwest is grown in six colors with blue corn being the most distinctive and highly prized.   Corn is essential to Southwestern cooking.  Tortillas, tamales, tostados, burritos, tacos, enchiladas , nachos are just a few of the dishes based on the use of corn.   

Buying corn, look for:

Tightly closed husks

Green and moist, not woody, stems Lots of golden brown corn silk coming out of the cornRipe corn has fat kernels and when you poke a kernel the juice is milky color. 

Corn cooking time: 

Husk attached – 10 minutes Husk removed – 7 minutesGrilled corn husk removed – 8 to 12 minutesGrilled corn with husk – 25 minutes 

Dinner in Minutes recipe: Turkey Mushroom Quesadilla with Corn and Black Bean Salad

The recipe and photo can be found on the Dinner in Minutes home page.  Click on the recipe there for full details.

Chef Chistorpher Wilber, Canyon Restaurant, www.canyonfl.com.