CORN MILLER

CORN MILLER

CORN MILLER

This is my favorite recipe that my mother, Edna Payne Clarke, made. It came to her by
way of her mother, Pearl Miller, for whom it was named. This recipe has the wonderful
fresh taste of corn on the cob with lots of butter flavor and a hint of pork from the fat
back and is a blissful accompaniment to anything green like string beans or collards
or kale or green peas. My mother always paired it with bright red beefsteak tomatoes
with salt on top to bring forth the great taste of summer. This is ultimate summer — this is
summertime on the plate. Of course, corn is also autumn. I mean this dish goes well with
autumn — this is autumn on the plate. This is the spur to eat up the harvest and wish to
preserve it (it can be frozen effectively too so it can re-appear at Thanksgiving).

Ingredients

6 ears fresh yellow or white corn
Moderate chunk of fat back
½ cup water
3/4 cup chopped butter
2 teaspoons corn starch
OPTIONAL: 1 tablespoon of sugar

DIRECTIONS

Go to the trouble of disposing of the husks right before you’re ready to prepare
the corn. Corn loses freshness quickly once its husk is gone. Remove the husks
and silk from each ear. Get as much of the silk off as possible before cutting
the kernels from the ears. Use the following technique: assemble a large bowl
and overturn a smaller bowl in the center. Place the corn ear at the center
of the smaller, overturned bowl and slice downward knocking most all of the
kernels into the larger bowl. However, DO NOT slice the complete kernel on
the first pass. Cut about halfway into each kernel and go around the corn the
kernel several times. When it’s completely cut, then scrape the ear with the flat
of the blade to “milk” it of all of the milky parts of the corn.
While cutting the corn, cook a moderate chunk of fat back over a low heat in a
large saucepan. Allow it to brown slowly releasing its flavorful fat.
Pour the corn into the sauce pan with the hot fat — CONTROL THE HEAT —
DON’T BURN THE CORN. Stir. Add a half a cup of water, 3/4 cup of chopped
butter, 2 teaspoons of corn starch. Stir all together and cook gently for about
15 minutes. Add water by teaspoonful if needed. OPTIONAL: 1 tablespoon of
sugar. Salt to taste. I also add a teaspoon of ground turmeric for its color
and its anti-inflammatory properties.