At next grill-out, cut corn off the cob

        As much as I enjoy fresh corn on the cob, my favorite way to eat it is cut off the cob and quickly sauteed in olive oil or butter with a colorful array of fresh vegetables and herbs. Easy to serve and easier to eat than a whole ear of corn, this tasty side dish is one you can enjoy all summer. I recommend it to go with barbecue or any grilled meat or seafood.

        There are many gadgets available in kitchen specialty stores for removing corn kernels from the cob. But if you don't have a special gadget, simply use a thin bladed sharp knife. I like to use my boning knife with a flexible blade because it is easy to get close to the cob and remove all of the kernels.

        To avoid spraying the kernels all over the counter top, cut the corn into a mixing bowl that is wide enough so that the knife blade doesn't strike the sides of the bowl, but deep enough to hold the freshly cut corn.

        You may want to wait until the best local corn is available to try this recipe. (I can never wait that long and make it as soon as I can find decent corn and tomatoes.) The fresh flavors of the jalapeno, lime juice and cilantro perk it up so you can count on it being delicious.

        For this early summer version I always choose plum tomatoes because they are an earlier crop and are likely to have a lot more flavor than the larger varieties. If you don't find nice ripe plum tomatoes use some of the sweet little cherry tomatoes. Simply wash them and chop them in the food processor by pulsing on and off until they are coarsely chopped.

        Of course, as summer progresses you can peel, seed and chop big, juicy, vine-ripened tomatoes to combine with the fabulous local corn varieties. You don't have to worry about keeping this dish piping hot until serving because it is just as good at room temperature, making it convenient as a side dish when you are grilling out. If I am lucky enough to have any leftover, I usually eat it cold right out of the refrigerator.

        If you are a fan of spicy food, feel free to add another jalapeno or flavor it with some green Tabasco. I don't recommend making it too spicy because you want to taste all of the delicious flavors, especially the corn.

Sauteed Corn with Tomatoes and Cilantro

        6 medium ears sweet corn
       3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
       1 cup thinly sliced green onions
       1 large clove garlic, minced
       1 jalapeno pepper, minced
       6 large plum tomatoes, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped
       1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
       1 tablespoon lime juice
       3 tablespoon chopped cilantro

        Cut the corn from the cobs and set aside. In a large heavy skillet, heat the butter and oil. Saute the onions and garlic 2 minutes, stirring. Add the jalapeno and tomatoes and cook, stirring 3 minutes. Stir in the corn and cook 4 to 5 minutes longer. Add the seasonings. Taste and correct the seasonings. Stir in the cilantro just before serving. Makes 6 to 8 servings.

        Note: for a heartier dish add 1 cup small strips of ham with the seasonings. Heat just until hot.

        Contact Marilyn Harris by mail: c/o Cincinnati Enquirer; fax: 768-8330; e-mail: marilyn@55krc.com.
       

Required Reading

        Vegetables (Ici La Press; $36) is by Guy Martin, the chef at Le Grand Vefour in Paris. The recipes are radical, elaborate, beautiful and probably completely impractical for any home cook. With what, exactly, would you serve turnip tarte tatin, or jellied beets, melon and watermelon with ras- al-hanout? Why would you cook celery hearts on hay? But if you are an advanced and adventurous cook, you'll find a few intriguing enough to try: garlic waffles, a loaf cake that reveals cross-sections of broccoli when sliced, or a beautiful pink radish bouillon.

        Far more practical, especially if you grow zucchini, is The Classic Zucchini Cookbook (Storey Books; $14.95) Originally written in 1977 by Nancy Ralston and Marynor Jordan of Bloomington, Ind., the ever-popular book has been revised by Andrea Chesman for its 3rd edition. There are two kinds of recipes in it: ones that hide the taste of zucchini so that you can sneak vegetables into meals, and ones that put it center stage. The first kind includes deep, dark chocolate zucchini cake and mushroom strudel. The second includes zucchini tart nicoise, zucchini strata, and Tex-Mex chicken skillet supper. There are also recipes for pumpkin and other winter squash.

Best pickin's

       @ftext:Strawberries may be the most popular you-pick fruit, and raspberries are my favorite to eat, but after many years of experience in the you-pick fields, I like picking blueberries the best. You don't have to get down on the ground, there are no thorns, and blueberry bushes are so loaded, you barely need to move from one spot. You can just pop them in the freezer, and even eat them frozen. But here's what will really call me to the blueberry farm this summer: USDA researchers have found that blueberries are rich in anthocyanin, which has been shown to improve memory in animals. I need all the help I can get in this area, and a handful of fresh or frozen berries on my cereal in the morning is medicine I can go for.
       

Ways with Vegetables

        Here are a couple of dishes from local chefs that could be adapted by the home cook:

        David Cook at Daveed's has fresh spring beets a couple of ways on his spring menu. He serves seared scallops with beet salad, mascarpone and smoked bacon vinaigrette. The haricot vert (string beans) and asparagus salad includes Ohio golden beets, goat cheese, Banyuls vinegar and truffle vinaigrette. His beet-cooking technique is easy to do at home. He roasts rather than boils them to bring out their natural sugars. They're brushed with olive oil, a little thyme, set on a bed of onions and slow-roasted at 300 degrees for an hour or more.

        Jack Rouse, chef at the Iron Horse Inn in Glendale, is featuring fresh greens and lettuces from Rock Bottom Gardens in Ripley, Ohio, on his spring menu, in salads and as garnishes. He also grills some of the romaine, and serves it with cedar-planked oysters and Dijon-garlic vinaigrette. The grilled romaine would be easy to duplicate. Cut a head in half, brush lightly with oil, and put on the grill for just a minute or two, to serve alongside grilled meat or fish.
       

Spring in a Bowl

        Julie Francis at Aioli, downtown, takes advantage of the short season for peas with a cold fresh pea puree soup. It is a verdant jade color and sweet like the best sugar snap pea. It's garnished with the surprise of thin strips of candied ginger and softly whipped cream with fresh mint folded in. It's refreshing, and it's beautiful.
       

Marinating Fruit

        When you have a variety of fresh fruit, you can make a macedoine; a fresh fruit cup flavored with spirits. You can use wine, brandy or liqueur like Grand Marnier. But according to the new edition of The Joy of Cooking, “if there were to be one bottle in the cupboard for fruit, our choice would be maraschino. Clear cherry-flavored maraschino liqueur is incomparable with mixed fruit.”

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