For everything there is a season – and late summer in New Jersey is definitely the season for corn.

Fresh corn is naturally sweet, but it becomes starchier as it ages. So I prefer to make these recipes in the summer when we can get it fresh.

Corn Chowder
I concocted this recipe back in 2009 when Lou was being treated for throat cancer and couldn’t eat anything but soup. Because he was having difficulty swallowing, I pureed it in the blender. Nowadays I prefer it with more texture so I grind some of the corn in a food processor and then add additional kernels to the soup. We usually have it for dinner with a salad and some of Lou’s home-made bread.

INGREDIENTS
5-6 ears of corn
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 medium sweet onions, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 red bell pepper, minced
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried basil
Ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS
1. Cut kernels from cobs and reserve. Break cobs in half and place in soup pot with 6 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.
2. At the same time, melt butter in a skillet. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes. Add celery and sauté 5 minutes more. Add bell pepper, half to two-thirds of the corn kernels, thyme, basil & pepper. Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
3. Remove cobs from the soup. Add the cooked vegetables to the stock and simmer 15 minutes. Puree.
3. Add the rest of the corn to the pot. Cook for 10-20 minutes, until corn is cooked.

Roasted Corn and Zucchini
We tend to go a bit overboard at the farm stand buying corn. We had some extra ears that had been sitting in the fridge for a week, and I thought they might have lost some sweetness. I decided to caramelize the corn in the oven to sweeten it up. The combination with zucchini, also bought at the farm stand, was fabulous.

INGREDIENTS
Kernels from 3-4 ears of corn
3-4 medium zucchini, cut into chunks
Olive oil
Garlic powder or onion powder
Fresh basil, chopped

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
1. Mix the corn with a small amount of olive oil in a large bowl. Spread the corn in a single layer in one of the baking sheets.
2. In the same bowl, mix the zucchini with olive oil & the garlic or onion powder. Spread the zucchini in a single layer in the other baking sheet.
3. Cook for 20-25 minutes, until the vegetables are starting to brown. Remove the pans from the oven and mix the vegetables together with the basil.

Pasta with Corn, Zucchini and Tomato
We stopped at a farmers market on our way home from visiting friends. As usual, we got carried away, particularly because we were only going to be home for a week before going away again.  I concocted this recipe to use up some of the corn, zucchini and tomatoes we bought. I first made it with tarragon (fresh from our garden). However, the tarragon wasn’t doing too well when I made it the following summer, so I substituted marjoram.

INGREDIENTS
12 ounces penne
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cup corn kernels (from 2 ears)
1 medium zucchini (8 ounces), diced (1½ cup)
Ground black pepper
1 medium onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced (½ teaspoon)
1-2 tablespoons chopped tarragon or marjoram
2 large tomatoes, diced

DIRECTIONS
1. Cook the pasta al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup cooking water.
2. While the pasta is cooking: Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add corn. Cook, stirring occasionally, until corn begins to brown (5 minutes).
3. Add zucchini & pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini begins to brown (5 minutes).
4. Add onion & garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion softens (5 minutes). Add herbs and cook for 30 seconds.
5. Add tomatoes, reducing heat to low when tomatoes begin to break down, and cook for 15 minutes. If sauce dries out, add some pasta cooking water, about ¼ cup at a time. Add the pasta and cook for another few minutes.