beXnlog

Shuck & Awe

All last week i hankered for fried green tomatoes. It's that damn cashew chutney combined with cornmealy fried goodness that i love! I can't seem to find any green tomatoes outside of the Union Square Farmers' Market, so last Saturday i forced us to wake up at an insane 7am in order to get there early for the good stuff. (Keep in mind i usually go to sleep around 3am, so this is quite a grand feat!)

Getting there early was such a good experience. The crowds aren't stifling and neither is the weather; basically your only competition for the best tomatoes are early-rising senior citizens and produce-hungry shoppers. We spent about $30 and came home with 2 bulging bags:

1 large bunch collard greens
1 large bunch kale
3 medium green tomatoes
4 assorted heirloom tomatoes
1/2 lb baby bok choy
1/2 lb okra
2 large jalepeno peppers
1 pint tiny strawberries
cilantro
basil
common mint
9 ears of corn

I wish i remembered the name of our corn vendor - all i recall is that he was on the west side of Union Square, with a table of corn on the end of a stall, $1 for 3 ears - because you gotta RUN this Saturday and get 18 or 24 ears of corn like i will. It was cut so recently that the ends still glistened, and so sweet that people were eating it RAW, juice down the chin and encouraging others to buy quickly.

When we got home we shucked and microwaved* 2 ears. We were pretty sure they were going to be good but definitely not as good as the little ears we had in Hawaii, and we were so wrong. All we talked about for the rest of the day was how excellent the sweet yellow corn was: so sugary, so tender you barely had to exert a forceful bite. We somehow didn't tire of turning to each other and going, "Fuck! Why was that corn so good?" for hours. Absolutely no need for butter or salt. Now, i ate my 3 ears within a few hours of purchase but be saved his last one for 2 days later. It was less sweet and little more starchy, but still excellent according to him.

You must get some corn. It's time for tomatoes. The peaches smell perfumey. And i finally got my green tomatoes! So good!

* How To Microwave Corn

Ever since our complimentary microwave from the bank (back in the 80s when banks actually gave you gifts for opening accounts) my family has microwaved fresh corn. It's faster and more flavorful than boiling, plus it's super easy.

1) Shuck corn and remove silk as best you can
2) Place 2-4 ears on a microwave-safe plate or glass dish
3) Cover with plastic wrap and vent in a few places
4) Microwave on high for approximately 1.5 minutes per ear, a bit less time if corn is super fresh
5) It's gonna be HOT - use mitts to take it out and to lift off plastic wrap, be careful of steam

posted by beXn @ 10:35 PM