To Scrape or Not to Scrape

This year we used the Labor Day weekend to freeze corn. On Saturday we husked, cleaned, blanched and cut corn from 16 dozen ears of corn. On Monday we just cleaned, blanched and cut corn from an addition 16 dozen ears. 16 dozen ears cost $40 and yielded 43 pints of corn PLUS 16 pints of corn cob scrapings.

Virginia used an electric knife to cut the corn from the ears, and she doesn't scrape the ears. I get incredibly nervous around electric knives and actually couldn't watch Virginia cut the corn (with the exception of this photo). Instead, I scraped the ears for the kernels to use in corn soup.

As with green beans....we don't save money by doing our own canning and freezing of produce, especially when we buy large quantities from Virginia's father, a local truck farmer. The real purpose of doing this is to keep fresh, healthy, produce in our pantry and freezer for the winter and know that it doesn't have preservatives. The bonus is to spend a morning or afternoon with friends working on this project together. Many hands made quick work of 200 ears of corn.

Since I'm gearing up for soups to serve the next 9 months, I'll include my two favorite soups for using the corn cob scrapings that I just spend 2 hours rescuing from Virginia's batch of corn.

SWEET CORN CHOWDER WITH WILD RICE

3 C. of frozen corn
3 slices of bacon, chopped
½ C. diced onion
4 C. chicken broth
1 ½ t. fresh thyme or ½ t. dried thyme
1 bay leaf
2 T. cornstarch
2 T. water
2 C. cream or rich milk
¾ C. cooked wild rice

Cook bacon in heavy large saucepan over medium high heat until fat is rendered. Add onion and saute until onion is tender, about 3 minutes. Add corn, stock, thyme and bay leaf. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Dissolve cornstarch in 2 T. of water. Mix into soup, and then add in cream and rice. Heat thoroughly. Season with salt and pepper. Can be made a day ahead, chill, bring to simmer before serving.

EASTERN CORN CHOWDER

5 slices of bacon
1 medium onion, sliced
2 medium potatoes, sliced
1 pint frozen corn, or one can of cream of corn
1 T. flour
1 T. butter
2 C. milk
Salt and pepper
1 t. thyme, fresh or ½ t. dried or parsley

In large fry pan, cook bacon until crisp. Crumble and set aside. Use a small bit of the bacon renderings to fry onion until light brown. Add potatoes to pan with enough water to cover. Cook over med heat 10-15 minutes, until potatoes are tender. In another saucepan add butter and flour and cook briefly. Add milk, corn and cook over low heat until thick and smooth. Add salt, pepper, herbs and the potato onion mixture and heat for 10 minutes. Top each serving with crumbled bacon.