There is only so much corn ON the cob you can eat, and yet who wants to miss the taste of sweet corn while it’s in season? I certainly don’t, so I wind up cutting the kernels off of the cobs and using them in all kinds of recipes, from sautes to soups, from salads to noodle dishes.

To cut the kernels off the cob safely, you can follow this simple tip: After shucking the corn, snap the ears in half (it’s not hard), then stand one half up on your cutting board, flat (cut-) side down. It will be stable and won’t wobble. Hold the cob half steady with the fingertips of one hand while slicing down the cob with a sharp knife. Repeat with remaining halves.

Corn kernels have a tendency to go flying around (especially if your knife isn’t super sharp); one way to corral them is to lay a dishtowel over your cutting board before you begin slicing the kernels off the cob. The towel will catch all of the corn kernels and you can then carefully bunch up the towel, move it over a bowl, and then pour and shake the corn kernels off the towel.

Susie Middleton

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