Summer time is corn time

AP:

For most of us, piping hot, slathered with butter and sprinkled with salt really is the best way to enjoy corn on the cob.

Our only gripe with the sweet one is it's so good, we tend to forget that fresh corn doesn't need to be cooked to be delicious. In fact, raw corn eaten right off the cob is easily one of the freshest, sweetest ways to capture the taste of summer. And adding raw corn kernels is an easy way to push any salad over the top.

The best way to cut kernels from an ear of corn-cooked or otherwise, is to stand each ear on its wide end on a cutting board, then use a serrated knife to saw down the side of the cob, cutting just deep enough to slice off the kernels. Rotate the cob and saw down again, repeating until all of the kernels are removed.

Not ready to go raw? Here are two recipes - a corn and edamame succotash and a corn and sausage-rich 'gravy' that's a meal unto itself - that still get you thinking beyond the basic cob.

Summer Edamame Succotash

Ingredients

3tbs unsalted butter

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

Pinch of red pepper flakes

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 red bell pepper, cored and chopped

4 ears corn, kernels removed

1 cup shelled edamame

1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

2tbs chopped fresh thyme

2tbs chopped fresh chives

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

Start to finish: 25 minutes

Servings: 8

Directions

1. In a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the garlic, onion and red pepper flakes, then sauté for four to five minutes or until tender.

2. Add the celery, red pepper, corn kernels, and edamame. Cook for another four to five minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, thyme, and chives, then season with salt and pepper. Cook for another two minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Sausage and Corn Gravy

This gravy is robust enough that adding just a bit of bread turns it into a meal. Try it over a thick slab of toasted sourdough or warm biscuits.

Ingredients

1 pound loose breakfast or sweet

Italian sausage

1 medium yellow onion, diced

1 cup corn kernels, cut from one ear

of corn

2tbs all-purpose flour

2 cups milk

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1/4 cup finely sliced scallions

Start to finish: 25 minutes

Servings: 6

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, sauté the sausage, onion, and corn until all are caramelised, about 10 minutes.

2. Add the flour and stir to coat well.

3. Add the milk and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly for about five minutes or until thickened. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the scallions.

- Alison Ladman, Associated Press