What is your go to fancy seasoning for corn on the cob? Other than butter.

[applegrove]

I've heard of mayo. And lime wedges (not together). What do you do?

[2naSalit]

1. Umiboshi paste.

Didn't think I'd like it but I did.

[MontanaMama]

3. Whaaaaat?

I need to know more about this thing you speak of...

[2naSalit]

20. ...and it happened right here

in Montana!

I have been befriended by a very well traveled and food knowledgeable individual who goaded me into trying it. Reluctantly I put this strange, pinkish colored paste sparingly on a portion of the cob...


and it was really different and good! I bought some for them last month since I saw a fresh batch at the health food store in town.

Umiboshi paste, made from a salty and sour plum, is salty on some things and sweet on others while sour/mildly tart too. It's hard to describe but it is worth trying. You can put it on all kinds of things and it never tastes quite the same. Puts a little mystery in your food experience with good results, usually. I tried it on venison meatloaf and it was salty but a nice change from the tomato stuff or gravy. I forget what other food we've tried, maybe it was artichokes, but it is fun to investigate.

[applegrove]

23. I love learning new stuff. I will look for it.

[happybird]

37. Ooo! That does sound like fun!

and I'm always down for trying new and tasty things. Will look around the shops for it, maybe they'll have some at Wegmans?
Thanks!

[2naSalit]

39. I was impressed with the

versatility of this stuff. I think I might have a recipe for it but I think it's easier to buy it pre-made. I have had it on green veggies and it was good. I was as surprised as I was the first time I had tahini on potatoes and onions, wasn't expecting the flavor but it was good.

[MontanaMama]

48. I'm going to try it!

I’ll check World Market here in town for it...To be honest, I’m not a corn on the cob fan at all, but my family likes it. I am game to try something new to liven it up.

[2naSalit]

52. I think you'll like it.

It does NOT replace my love for butter, salt and pepper but it is something I would serve to friends and enjoy once in a while.

ETA: I had heard of umiboshi paste through a book on Japanese cooking and health but had never actually tried it until last summer on corn via a foodie/health aficionado. They even have the same book from which I learned about the paste.

[applegrove]

5. Yes. Tell us more?

[2naSalit]

21. See my response to MontanaMama above.

[mitch96]

46. I agree but it's way too expensive... nt

[2naSalit]

50. I can't argue with that...

I don't recall how much the package cost that I bought. It was within reason for a special occasion type of item but I couldn't afford to use it all the time... but who has corn on the cob all the time?

[mitch96]

58. Cost, If I get it at a "pure natural and organic" store it's expensive....but

If I go to a dedicated oriental/Korean/Chinese store it's less expensive... if they have it.
I have a supermarket in town that caters to the asian/south asian crowd and the price is lower but still a special occasion treat...
I just looked it up and you can make it your self.. Sour Plums, salt and time... about 20 days No cooking and it never goes bad. I like to tinker..
https://www.thespruceeats.com/umeboshi-japanese-sour-salted-plums-3895688
http://justhungry.com/homemade-umeboshi-japanese-pickled-plums
This one is with apricots... so would you call it Apurikottobushi? or Anzubushi?
http://japanese-kitchen.net/recipe-items/how-to-make-umeboshi-using-apricots/
m

[2naSalit]

61. Cool! Thanks!

I'll look that up and try it. I make several things that require time, like my own herbal products, I guess I haven't really thought about it for a long time. The recipe I have is for a large amount but then it has many uses in healing later in the book. I'd rather have a smaller amount so I'll look into your links this afternoon.

[mitch96]

70. Let me know how it turns out.. I would like to do it but I have too many irons in the fire now... n

[2naSalit]

71. I will...

but I can't say exactly when I'll be able to get to it. I'm helping manage a small farm right now and I don't do much cooking as meals are part of the barter. I may encourage the cook to try it first, though!

2na

[MontanaMama]

2. ''Tis the season for corn on the cob!

I like to grill it...add kosher salt and some chili powder, cumin and quest fresco...sprinkle with some cilantro. It’s good no matter what you do. Enjoy!

[applegrove]

4. That a candidate. What is quest fresco?

[MontanaMama]

10. It's a Mexican cheese...

It’s white, crumbly and melts well. Kinda salty too so I go easy on any other salt. Used to be difficult to find but now I find it in almost any grocery store. It usually comes in a round package...the brand I find most often is Cacique. I don’t know if it’s a good quality or not or middle of the road.

[tblue37]

13. Maybe they mean "queso fresco"--which translates as "fresh cheese" but is probably a

label for a particular type of cheese rather than just "fresh cheese" in the general sense.

[Kali]

30. you can substitute feta, just watch your salt

[elleng]

6. I eat it 'straight,' nothing on it,

and a few years ago, when a nearby farm stand regularly had the BEST, freshly picked, I ate it raw, before I got INTO my house!!!

[2naSalit]

24. Done that before...

one of the great joys of summer. That and tomatoes fresh from the garden... well anything fresh from the garden!

[elleng]

25. Yes!

My neighbor gives me tomatoes (and cukes) from his garden, and in past years, asparagus!

[2naSalit]

31. I have been blessed with

two gardens to pilfer from this summer and both have raspberry patches and kohlrabi! One has asparagus but it isn't producing yet. I miss having my own garden but right now I am helping manage ten acres of a crop so I spend a lot of time concerning myself with that and I am very thankful for the option to gather in other gardens!

[Polly Hennessey]

55. That is the best.

[demmiblue]

67. Same.

Then I leave a few rows for my pupper to nibble.

[elleng]

68. Sweet! No pupper here, tho.

[RockRaven]

7. If the corn is really fresh and sweet, I prefer just butter and salt...

And if it is not, I just skip it if possible. I'm afraid I don't have a fancy way of livening up "meh" corn which I think makes it worth the hassle -- honestly I think corn on the cob is a fairly inconvenient foodstuff, eating wise, so if it is not great it is not worth it, imo.

[applegrove]

11. Yes. But i want to shake it up. I can't bar b q so i thought i'd see how others get fancy.

[RockRaven]

18. One thing I like with corn, though taken off the cob, is a recipe which unfortunately I do not have,

a relative of mine has made it a few times but I never asked for the exact recipe, and a quick google leads to a couple of recipes and I'm not sure which one it is...

but in any case the basic premise is the point, and the essentials of what I remember are: grilled corn cut off the cob (but if you cannot bbq/grill then maybe oven roast? dry heat in any case, there is a texture aspect which is different than boiled/steamed corn), fresh/raw corn cut off the cob, shallots, chiles, lime juice, queso fresco, and some unknown minor additional herbs/spices. The thing which really caught my attention were the two different corn tastes/textures plus the shallots and lime. The other bits are fiddling around the edges and could be adjusted to taste in any case.

[applegrove]

19. Sounds good. I will get some queso fresco. Lime. Shallots.

[democratisphere]

8. Baste it with tequila and fresh squeezed lemon juice.

[applegrove]

12. I no can do alcohol.

[democratisphere]

14. Just thinking of a substitute for the tequila.

Try unfiltered apple cider vinegar and lemon juice.

[applegrove]

15. I think i will do lemon juice, paprika and butter. Start my family off easy.

[Hoyt]

9. Is there anything else but salt? Mayo makes me gag on anything, even sandwichs.

[Kali]

16. lime and chile powder

or just use

[applegrove]

17. Is paprika less hot than chile powder? We're from ottawa so we have to go easy

here. We are 30 years into hot food. Not like the southern US.

[Kali]

26. well, there IS hot paprika ;-)

yeah you should probably try paprika first, then if you like maybe mix in a touch of something with more kick.

[applegrove]

27. Thanks. Will do. I think i'll bring lots of options.

[happybird]

22. Ha! I just uploaded a pic of Tajin to post ...

then saw your post when I came back to DU. Should have scrolled all the way down, first.

All summer I've been eating small bowls of chopped tomatoes and banana peppers from the garden, sprinkled liberally with tajin. Just tried it out on corn the other day and Yum! I do prefer corn with just butter, but this was a tasty change.

[applegrove]

28. I have learnt so much. Thank you all.

[happybird]

34. This stuff is nice

I guess Tajin is actually the brand name? Their website has a couple different products, we have the one pictured above here at the house. It was recommended by one of the grooms at the barn- the guys put it on melon and all sorts of fruits. I tried it on peaches, but decided like my peaches better plain. It's lime-y at first then has a very small kick from the chile at the end. Not a hot kick, more of a zesty kick. It's great on tomatoes and on corn.

[Kali]

29. my kids eat it plain

back when they were small there was a similar product called lucas that was really marketed to kids. they would eat it until they got mouth sores LOL

[Srkdqltr]

53. That is the best on a lot of things!!!

And not difficult to get.

[dem in texas]

63. Love to eat the roast corn at Canton, Texas' First Monday

The big roaster corn roaster going full bore, people standing in line to get their freshly roasted corn on the cob. A crew stands by watching the corn, taking the ears out of the roaster when done, stripping off the husks and removing the silks. There is plenty of limes, hot chili powder and butter to season the corn. One of my favorite food treats when I go antiquing at First Monday.

[rampartc]

32. ya boil them suckers in zatarains crab boil

with any other vegetables like garlics, artichokes, little new potatoes, carrots, whatever. put in some crabs, shrimp, crawfish, lobsters or whatever if you got it, but the corn will come out real good.

[2naSalit]

38. Yes!!

[StTimofEdenRoc]

33. cayenne pepper and garlic salt, after buttering

anyone ever try pineapple juice?

[2naSalit]

35. Do you boil, bake or steam it?

You said you can't grill it. If you boil it you could also add a bay leaf to the water or other herbs. You can do that for steaming too. If you bake it, you could paint the cobs with olive oil then sprinkle with your favorite herbs, maybe add some of the queso to it before serving.

I haven't tried these but now that I think about it, I like the baked with herbs idea... I'll have to try that.

[applegrove]

36. I boil. I will put in a bay leaf. Now i'm hungry.

[Meadowoak]

60. Steam, it really brings out the flavor. I live it with butter and kosher salt.

[pnwest]

40. Anything other than butter, salt & pepper is

sacrilege. Desecration. Like dousing prime rib in A1 sauce.

[Little Star]

47. That's where I'm at!

[SeattleVet]

41. Penzey's Arizona Dreaming spice blend.

(As a bonus, they are a VERY blue company, and regularly send out special sale info that includes massive takedowns of the tRump administration and their policies.)

[Pachamama]

42. Cilantro Pesto

[MFM008]

43. Dill

I love it.

[japple]

44. Butter, salt, cumin and lime juice.

Very tasty.

[no_hypocrisy]

45. Emeril's Essence Creole Seasoning

2-1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

[MontanaMama]

49. I've already posted to this thread...but

I don’t really enjoy eating the corn off the cob even though we do sometimes...Another thing I make often is a corn salad. Boil or grill the cobs and then cool. Cut the kernels off and place in a bowl with sliced bell pepper, jalapeño if it suits your taste, avocado, tomato, scallions and some queso fresco or little blocks of cheddar cheese...dress it with a light oil and rice wine vinegar to taste...salt, pepper, mild chili powder, cumin and fresh cilantro. Corn salad is great by itself or with a burger or on tacos. I resisted buying corn on the cob forever but my family really likes it so when in Rome...

[yesphan]

51. Ghost

pepper powder.

[NoMoreRepugs]

54. Find out what street vendors in Thailand put on it....Fabulous!

[OregonBlue]

62. They add butter and salt and sugar.

Thais treat corn more as a fruit than vegetable. So nummy.

[Me.]

56. Old Bay

[redwitch]

57. Chili lime butter

I blend lime zest, lime juice, chili powder or cayenne with red pepper flakes. So good!

[Cracklin Charlie]

59. Salt

Pepper
Just a touch

[DinahMoeHum]

64. Chili powder, or Old Bay seasoning,

or a homemade creole seasoning featuring thyme.

[Runningdawg]

65. Honey and Sriracha mixed 1/2&1/2 brush it on while on the grill and let it char

[flotsam]

66. I melt the butter...

and then add a drop of Wright's liquid smoke (hickory or mesquite) and sometimes a touch of cumin.

[The Polack MSgt]

69. I am not a fan of corn, although I can be fairly described as looking "Corn Fed"

I do grill a lot of it though and have had success with Tokyo street fair style

Shuck clean and break the ears in half
boil the ears for about 6-7 minutes (Half cooked)
Place over low coals for direct but not intense heat
Turn the cobs every 45 seconds to a minute using a basting brush coat with sauce with every turn
allow the sauce to caramelize and settle in between the kernels as you cook

The sauce:

Kikkoman's Soy sauce (1 Cup)
melted butter (half a stick)
Light Brown Sugar (2 Tablespoons)
Honey. (5 second squeeze from a standard bear dispenser
mix well and keep warm so the butter stays melted

We are all adults who can recognize cooked corn, so pull it when it's as done as you want.

My kids like it lightly grilled and my wife likes it almost crunchy

[sir pball]

72. Most definitely mayo and lime together!

Plus cotija cheese (grated Parmesan is an ok substitute) and chile powder...it's called elote and it's delicious

[Phentex]

73. Ms Dash Southwest Chipotle seasoning...

sweet corn in season doesn't need salt and Ms Dash keeps it that way.

[Retrograde]

74. Rub it all over with a cut lime

that's it - no butter or other gloppy stuff.