Celebrate Corn Day at the Lexington Farmers Market with these recipes

Stop by the Lexington Farmers Market this coming Saturday from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. and pick up a few ears of fresh, local corn to take home and enjoy as the Lexington Farmers Market celebrates Corn Day. In addition to the usual delightful array of vegetables, produce and goods, there will also be lots of juicy corn.

To mark the occasion, here are a few delicious summer inspired recipes to make for a satisfying meal.

Corn fritters are a light and fluffy round cake with crispy edges that remind me of a pan cake. They are simple to make and only require a few ingredients. These versatile fritters can be enjoyed with any meal and can also be eaten with jam and honey or accompany a savory meal.

Grilled corn salad is a staple of summer. This light and healthy, chilled salad is a combination of crisp and ripe vegetables marinated in your favorite vinaigrette and sprinkled with feta cheese just before serving. Grilled corn salad is great as a side dish with most summer meals.

Below are two recipes which you could make once you leave the Lexington Farmer’s Market with your fresh corn on Saturday.

{Image: Clarence-Vernon Hargrave/Davidson Local} Golden and crispy edge corn fritters are great with any summer meal.

Crispy Edge Corn Fritters

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (May need to add up to 2 extra tablespoons of flour to thicken)

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 cup of fresh cut corn (about 2 ears)

• 1 -14.75 oz. can cream style corn

• 1 egg, beaten

• 1/2 cup canola oil or your favorite cooking oil

• 1 tablespoon of butter

Instructions

•  Sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Mix corn and egg; add to dry ingredients, and stir. Heat canola oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat or heat a well oiled griddle until ready to use. Carefully lower the butter into the oil.

• Once the pan or griddle has reached the proper temperature, drop batter by medium spoonfuls into hot oil and fry for about 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

• You may need to adjust the temperature of the oil if the fritters are cooking too fast.

• If you use a griddle the result will be more pancake-like fritters. Using oil deep frying method results in a more fluffy corn fritter.

• Drain on paper towels - makes about 12 fritters

These corn fritters are perfect for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner.

{Image: Clarence-Vernon Hargrave} You will want to make this grilled corn salad every night.

Grilled Summer Corn Salad-

Ingredients

• 6 fresh ears of corn cleaned and shucked

• 1 1/2 teaspoon salt (to season the water to boil the corn in)

• 2 English cucumbers, cut into small even pieces

• 3 medium tomatoes (ripe but not mushy), diced into small or medium size, even pieces or 10 cherry tomatoes cut into desired size pieces

• 1 scallion, chopped

• 1 pinch of salt and pepper, to taste (to season the finished grilled corn salad)

• 1 cup of your favorite premade Italian dressing or vinaigrette

• 3 fresh basil leaves, sliced into small pieces or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil

• 1/2 of a 5 oz. container of feta cheese

  Optional additions - 1 can of washed and drained Black beans or Garbanzo beans.

Instructions

• Fill a large pot with the corn and cover with water and place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil for fifteen minutes. Once cooked, carefully drain the remaining water from the corn and then grill for 5 minutes on a very hot gill to add grill marks and color to the corn.

• Once grilled, allow the corn to cool to the touch and cut the corn from the cob starting at one end and continuing with a sharp knife carefully until you have removed all of the grilled corn kernels. (Do not cut down to the cob too close)

• Add the cut grilled corn to a large bowl and add all of the other vegetables to the bowl with the corn and mix. Add the salt and pepper

• Add the dressing and mix a little more

• Chill in a covered bowl for over an hour, allowing all of the salad to absorb the flavors

• Just before serving, garnish with the feta cheese crumbles (if you put the feta cheese in too early, the salad will become cloudy)

  Serve as a delicious side dish on almost any summer menu. Store the unused grilled corn salad in a covered container in the refrigerator. It will last for about 5 days.

Enjoy!