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06/19/2012
~ How to: Shave Corn Off the Cob with Zero Mess!!! ~
If you are a sweet corn lover or come from a long line of sweet corn lovers (like I am and do), you've no doubt shaved corn off of the cob. Corn lovers shave corn off the cob for all sorts of reasons: to freeze excesses of it, to add to soups, salads, casseroles or cornbread, to make salsa, or, just because they want don't want to eat it on the cob. My mom shaved corn off the cob for me when I was around 11 years old. I had braces on my teeth. It was impossible for me to bite into a cob without the risk of breaking a few wires, or worse: if you think picking sweet corn from between your teeth is a chore, you do not want to participate in this task.
Technically you don't need anything more than a sharp chef's knife and a steady, slip-free cutting board to shave corn off the cob. You certainly don't need to invest in a gadget called a corn stripper. Being the "queen of kitchen gadgets", I couldn't resist purchasing one, and truthfully, it does not work as well as a knife. In fact, it tends to damage the kernels. However, one piece of bakeware does make this process even easier and totally mess free is:
A bundt or tube type pan! I certainly did not invent this technique, but wherever I saw it or read about it, it impressed me enough to adopt the method immediately. Nowadays, I love the "how cool is that" look on the faces of the folks in my cooking classes when I demonstrate it. Placing the cob in the center, or in the tube, provides excellent stability, which from a safety standpoint is a very good thing. Then, as you remove the kernels, they, and all of their milky juices, fall directly into the pan (instead of scattering all over the kitchen).
How cool is that!
~ Step 1. Place the narrow end of the cob in the tube. Firmly grip the top of the cob and using a sharp chef's knive slice/shave, from top to bottom, one lengthwise section at a time. Try to keep the knife as close to the cob as you can when you do this, without cutting into the cob. The corn will come off in chunky lengths, sections, bits and pieces. This is exactly what you want.
~ Step 2. Rotate the bowl as you slice/shave your way around each cob of corn. Don't worry to much if you miss a spot here or there, or, if your sections don't overlap exactly, because:
Corn shaving is not a precise sport!
Six cobs of corn will yield about 3 cups of shaved corn.
How to: Shave Corn Off the Cob with Zero Mess!!!: Recipe yields instructions for shaving corn quickly, easily and safely off the cob.
Special Equipment List: cutting board; chef's knife; bundt or tube-type pan
Cook's Note: Most recipes will call for the corn to be cooked to some degree prior to shaving it from the cob. Even if you are just planning to freeze it, it should be blanched in boiling water for about 1 minute to preserve its flavor and sweetness. To learn more, read ~ The Corn Chronicles: Perfect Corn on the Cob ~ in Categories 4, 10 or 15. For a delicious aternative to boiling corn, read ~ How to: Roast or "Bake" Sweet Corn in the Oven ~ in Categories 4, 15 or 20.
"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti
(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2012)
Comments
I totally understand the time when you had your braces on, because my sister had one too and it was also a bit of a struggle for her to eat some food. Thus, extra care should be done in choosing what and how to eat a certain food. Some of the ideal food to eat are soft fruits, such as blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. For vegetables, if there are hard ones, it is advisable to try to steam them first.
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I totally understand the time when you had your braces on, because my sister had one too and it was also a bit of a struggle for her to eat some food. Thus, extra care should be done in choosing what and how to eat a certain food. Some of the ideal food to eat are soft fruits, such as blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. For vegetables, if there are hard ones, it is advisable to try to steam them first.
Posted by: Landon Heath | 09/20/2012 at 03:54 PM