By Jennifer Alexander Ruple

As summer reaches its golden stretch and sweet corn hits peak season, farmers markets and farm stands across northwest Ohio are brimming with everyone’s favorite ears from yellow and white to bi-color varieties. That makes now the perfect time to visit a local market or roadside stand.

This week’s column brings two recipes that are fresh, hearty and full of flavor. The first dish, Market Sweet Corn Salad, pairs tender kernels with juicy tomatoes, black beans, crumbly cotija cheese, red onion and cilantro, all tossed in a honey-lime dressing. The second, Summer Sweet Corn Bake, features sweet corn, a cheesy center, and a golden, buttery topping. Make either one, or better yet both, and enjoy sweet corn at its summer best.

Market Sweet Corn Salad
5 ears corn
1 cup cherry or small tomatoes, halved
1 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup cotija cheese, crumbled
¼ cup red onion, diced
1 avocado, pitted and cubed
¼ cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Honey Lime Dressing
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon honey
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, combine dressing ingredients. Set aside. Bring a large pot of water to a rapid boil, add corn and blanch for 3-4 minutes. Drain and allow it to cool. Cut the corn from the cobs. In a large bowl combine corn, tomatoes, beans, onion, and cotija cheese. Top with avocado. Pour dressing over salad and gently mix. Garnish with fresh cilantro.

Summer Sweet Corn Bake
2 ears sweet corn (about 2 cups)
2 tablespoons flour
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup milk
½ cup breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted

Heat oven to 350 F. To prepare corn, bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Blanch corn for 3-4 minutes. Remove from water, allow it to cool, and then cut it from the cob.

In a large mixing bowl, combine corn, flour, eggs, sugar, seasonings, cheese and milk. Pour mixture into an 8 x 8-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top the mixture with breadcrumbs. Drizzle with melted butter. Bake uncovered for 1 hour or until breadcrumbs are golden brown.

Freezing Corn
Frozen corn is great to have on hand for adding to soups, stews and chili. To freeze, place corn in boiling water and blanch for 3-4 minutes. Remove the corn from water and cut it from the cob. Allow kernels to completely cool before placing them in freezer bags.