Freezing Corn

It's fresh corn season! Load up on it and enjoy it now, because we have some of the best sweet corn around here that you could hope to find. But while you're at it, also pack some away in the freezer for the winter. Freezing corn is a little more work than some other vegetables, as it has to be husked, removed from the cob, and then blanched before freezing, but the taste is so fantastic that it's worth doing at least some. Because of the amount of work involved, I personally find it easier to do several smaller batches - a dozen ears here, a dozen ears there - rather than a huge bunch all at once.

The method: Husk the ears and remove as much silk as you can. Then, using a large bowl or basin, hold each ear upright and slice the kernels off with a sharp knife. Slice them off as close to the cob as you can without slicing into it. You can boil or steam blanch the corn; I prefer to steam. I have a big pot with an insert meant for pasta (you pull it out at the water stays in the pot) that is also great for steaming large quantities of vegetables. A few minutes does the job. Cool the corn, then pack into freezer bags in quantities you are likely to want at one time. (Ideally, after blanching you dunk vegetables into ice water to cool them very quickly and stop any residual cooking that might happen. I find this impractical with corn cut from the cob because there are so many little bits to float away. But if you can find a good way to do it without losing the little bits, it's a good idea.)