There's very little that can improve the flavor of fresh summer corn, but if you had to put your money on one thing, it would certainly be bacon. The Southern fried corn recipe below uses both bacon fat and bacon pieces to add flavor and richness to summer corn. The result is the perfect combination of fresh and hearty.
The type of bacon you choose will flavor the dish heavily, so proceed with caution. Corn is already quite sweet, so choosing a sweeter bacon, such as one glazed in maple, may be overkill. You'll also want to think about texture: If you'd rather have chewy morsels of pork in the corn, choose a thick-cut bacon; for a crisper texture, choose thinner slices.
Southern Fried Corn
4
5 minutes
20 minutes
25 minutes
4 strips bacon, diced
1 onion, finely diced
4 ears corn, shucked
3/4 cup milk
salt and pepper, to taste
1 pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add the bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Remove from the pan, leaving the grease behind.
Add the onion to the pan. Season to taste with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and slightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut the corn off the cobs, and scrape any milk left on the cobs and add it to the corn.
Add the corn and the milk to the pan. Stir to combine and cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 20 minutes, until you achieve the texture you want.
Season once more with salt and pepper, add a pinch of cayenne pepper if desired and serve.