Writer: Karla Walsh
Photos: Duane Tinkey
The Butter Cow and Field of Dreams are strong contenders, but if we had to choose just a single symbol to represent Iowa, it would be corn.
True, about 99% of the “knee-high-by-the-Fourth-of-July” fields you see across the state are growing “field corn” for livestock feed, ethanol and so forth, but the other precious 1%? That’s sweet corn, and it’s almost ripe for the picking.
To help Iowans find sweet corn and other local products, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig launched Choose Iowa in 2022. The initiative makes it easy for consumers to spot Iowa-made products; just look for the “Choose Iowa” logo. It also highlights farm-based experiences and offers grants to help local restaurants, caterers and other food pros use locally produced goods.
“Consumers have a growing interest in where their food comes from,” Choose Iowa Director Beth Romer said. “They want to understand how it’s produced, and they want to keep their dollars circulating in the local economy.” (Check out the list of local farmers’ markets below.)
Once you find that fresh corn and “stalk” up, so to speak, there’s nothing wrong with boiling it and slathering it with butter. But if you want to get creative, three local masterminds have dreamed up three ideas for a main dish, dessert and drink.
CHARRED PEPPERS AND CREAMED CORN
Recipe by Aaron Holt of Catering by Doolittle Farm
For a main dish, Holt suggests choosing your own adventure rather than following a strict recipe. If you prepare a big batch of smoky creamed corn, using the guidelines online, you can pair it with all kinds of proteins throughout the week. Holt loves it with seared scallops and crumbled crispy pancetta but also likes topping it with shredded rotisserie chicken, sliced steak, a cauliflower “steak” or a grilled portobello mushroom cap. If you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, wrap them inside a tortilla with scrambled eggs for a breakfast burrito or stuff it inside an omelet. Or if you’re in the mood to party, stir in a scoop of sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, a handful of cotija cheese, fresh lime juice, and a spoonful of chili powder and you have a street corn dip that’s all set to scoop up with chips. (Corn chips, naturally.)
Yield: 12 side-dish servings
12 ears corn, shucked
4 poblano peppers
1 red bell pepper
1 medium red onion
1 tablespoon oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup heavy cream
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1½ tablespoons lemon juice (from half a lemon)
Salt and black pepper
Optional: 1 diced jalapeño pepper or cayenne pepper
- Preheat a grill to high. Add shucked corn, whole peppers and the red onion.
- Allow the vegetables to cook, using tongs to turn occasionally, until the corn has some golden-brown kernels, the pepper skins are charred and the onion is tender throughout (about 4 to 5 minutes). Remove pieces individually, once they’re finished to your liking.
- Once the peppers are cool enough to handle, brush the skin off the peppers, slice off the stems and remove the seeds. Chop the peppers and the onion, and slice the corn off the cob.
- In a skillet over medium-low heat, add the oil, onion and garlic. Once the garlic is aromatic (just a minute or so), stir in the corn and peppers. Stir to combine, then finish with the heavy cream, crushed red pepper flakes and lemon juice. Simmer until the cream is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season to taste with salt and black pepper. For an extra kick of spice, stir in diced jalapeño or a pinch of cayenne pepper.
BLUE CORN SOUR
Recipe by Josh McAlexander, beverage director at Good News, Darling
Now what could possibly pair better with your corn dish and dessert than a corny drink? We’re sweet on his blue corn sour made with blueberry-infused mezcal and homemade sweet-corn syrup. “It’s a standard margarita with a fun spin using recognizable summer flavors,” McAlexander said. “It works as a single cocktail and is even better in a pitcher on a patio.”
Yield: 1 drink
1½ ounces blueberry-infused mezcal (noted below)
¾ ounce dry sherry
¾ ounce homemade corn syrup (made with 1 cup sweet corn and 1 cup sugar, noted below)
1 ounce lime juice
1 cup fresh blueberries, plus a few for garnish
Optional garnishes: lime and Tajín
- In a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice, add infused mezcal, sherry, cooled corn syrup and lime juice. Shake until the shaker is frosty.
- Strain into a glass filled halfway with ice. Finish with a few fresh blueberries, a slice of lime and a pinch of Tajín.
Blueberry-Infused Mezcal: In a blender, combine one 750-milliliter bottle mezcal with 1 cup fresh blueberries. Blend until smooth. Strain the mixture through a sieve; reserve the liquid in a bowl and discard the solids. Strain it again to catch the final bits of sediment. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 5 days or freeze in an ice-cube tray for future mixed drinks.
Corn syrup: In a blender, add 1 cup water and 1 cup sweet corn kernels. Strain solids and discard. In a saucepan over medium heat, mix the strained corn mixture with 1 cup sugar. Stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Cool before using. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 2 weeks.
NO-CHURN SWEET CORN ICE CREAM
Recipe by Sammy Mila, owner of Crème Bakery
If your store-bought pints are feeling a little too vanilla, Mila suggests mixing things up with an easy homemade version. By infusing the cream with a few pats of butter, corn kernels and even the cobs, you’ll have a custard that overflows with sweet flavor. “Ice cream and corn are two of my favorite summertime snacks, so combining them was a no-brainer,” Mila said. Corn is ever-so-slightly milky as it is, and this honey-sweetened treat plays that up with delicious results. Plus, she added, “a bay leaf gives the ice cream a subtle earthy tone to help cut through the creaminess.”
Yield: About 8 small servings
4 ears sweet corn, shucked
2 cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons salted butter
2 tablespoons honey
1½ teaspoons salt
1 bay leaf (optional)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 15-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
Optional toppings: additional honey, flaky sea salt, chili crisp and/or crumbled corn cereal, such as Corn Pops or Kix
- Slice the kernels off the cobs, then place both the kernels and the cobs in a large pot over medium heat. Add heavy cream, butter, honey, salt and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Use tongs to remove the corn cobs and bay leaf.
- Transfer the remaining ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth.
- For even smoother results, strain the mixture through a sieve and discard the solids.
- To the remaining liquid, stir in vanilla.
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, whip the cold cream mixture until stiff peaks form.
- Switch to a spatula and fold in sweetened condensed milk.
- Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap, then transfer the ice cream mixture to the pan. Cover the top with more plastic wrap and freeze overnight.
- To serve, add scoops to a cup, bowl or cone. Then garnish optional toppings. If you’re feeling daring, add a spoonful of that chili crisp.
CORNER THE MARKET
At ChooseIowa.com, the “Find Local” directory is searchable by product, location and other categories. It includes some of the farm stands that pop up to sell corn from July through September, including Deardorff, Grimes and Penick’s. You can find corn at farmers markets almost every day of the week:
Monday: Pleasant Hill
4-7 p.m. in the Berean Church parking lot
Tuesday: Beaverdale
4-7 p.m. at the Franklin Events Center
Tuesday: Johnston
4-7 p.m. at the Johnston Town Center
Wednesday: Waukee
4-7 p.m. in the Triangle
Thursday: Valley Junction
4-8 p.m. on Fifth Street
Friday: Grimes
4-7 p.m. at the Grimes Public Library
Saturday: Downtown Des Moines
7 a.m.-noon along Court Avenue
Saturday: Ankeny
9 a.m.-noon at the Ankeny Market & Pavilion Park
Saturday: LSI Global Greens Market
9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at 1907 Carpenter Ave.
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