You can't say it's truly "summer" until you enjoy a sweet, crunchy cob of corn perfectly seasoned with butter, salt and pepper. However, if you have decided to make it just for yourself or are in a particular hurry, it is not a good idea to boil a large pot of water. Don't worry, you can cook corn quickly and easily with the microwave; you'll get great results and learn a trick that will get you out of trouble in an emergency.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Cooking the Corn On The Cob
Step 1. Place four corn on the cob in the microwave
Cooking raw corn still on the cobs is very easy. Take the corn on the cob (with the leaves protecting them well wrapped) and put them in the microwave. Place them on a paper towel or on a plate. If the turntable of the appliance is clean, you can also avoid this precaution. If you need to prepare more than four corn on the cob, limit yourself to batches of four anyway, otherwise you will have trouble cooking them evenly.
Don't remove the outer leaves for now. If you have already done this, know that you have not spoiled the corn, even if the leaves allow you to keep the cobs moist and delicious. Wrap them in kitchen paper if you want to recreate the same effect as the leaves.
Step 2. Microwave the corn for at least three minutes
Set the appliance to "maximum" and run it for three to five minutes. Depending on the number of corn on the cob you are preparing, cooking times may vary; Many online sources of information claim that three minutes are enough for one or two cobs and four minutes for three or four cobs.
The various models of ovens are also different in power, so it is always worth cooking the corn a little less than you think is necessary and then checking the degree of cooking. You can always put the corn back in the oven for an extra minute or two, but you can't "fix it" if it's overcooked
Step 3. Wait for the corn to cool
After a few minutes in the microwave, the outer leaves of the cobs will not be hot but extremely hot. To avoid burns, place the cobs still with leaves on a cooling rack for about five minutes. You can proceed with the preparation phases when the "beard" of the cobs (the fibrous inner part of the leaves) is cold enough to be touched with bare hands.
Step 4. Remove the leaves before serving the cobs
One of the advantages of leaving the leaves intact (in addition to retaining moisture) is that they act as an insulating coating that retains the heat of the beans. As soon as you remove the leaves, the corn starts to cool very quickly, so don't do this until you are ready to eat it.
Be very careful when you "peel" the cobs; inside they are still very hot. If you are not sure of the internal temperature, just remove a few leaves and check the heat with the back of your hand. If you want to know more about it, read this article
Method 2 of 3: Cooking Canned or Packaged Corn
Step 1. Drain the corn kernels
It is easy to microwave corn that is not on the cob (be it canned or shelled fresh). It starts with eliminating excess liquid; in the end you will have to get some soft and delicious grains and not a corn soup. Find detailed instructions below.
- Canned corn: Open the can with a can opener, leaving the lid attached to the can only with a small metal segment. Tilt the can over the sink, keeping the lid down; in doing so you hold the corn kernels, but drop the liquid. Finally remove the lid and pour the corn into a colander, rinse it with water and wait for it to drain well.
- Packaged corn: in this case there is not a big problem of excess liquid, because the corn kernels are packaged in vacuum-sealed bags that are practically dry. Transfer them to a colander or use a slotted spoon to remove them from the package.
Step 2. Add salt, pepper and butter
Flavor the corn just before putting it in the microwave! The salt and pepper give this sweet cereal an excellent flavor, while the butter makes it soft, with a smooth and creamy texture.
You can use this dressing according to the proportions you prefer. If you have any doubts, you can use 15 g of butter for a 360 g jar of corn, while for the salt and pepper it depends only on your tastes.
Step 3. Cover the corn and cook for about 4 minutes
Place the beans in a container that is safe for use in the microwave oven and then put the latter in the appliance. Cook them at "maximum power" for about three minutes. Turn off the oven and stir the corn after every minute to make sure the butter and flavorings blend well.
Do not use a container with an airtight lid, the moisture must remain inside the corn, but if steam accumulates in the bowl, an explosion could occur. Leave the lid ajar to allow the steam to escape
Step 4. Remove the corn from the appliance, mix it and serve it
Be very careful at this stage, remove the lid and check if the corn has heated evenly. If so, serve him immediately. If you feel like it's still raw, return it to the microwave for another minute or two.
If you have decided to cook a large amount of corn (more than one or two cans), know that you will need to extend the cooking times a bit. As a general rule, the larger the amount of food, the longer it takes to cook it
Method 3 of 3: Cooking Frozen Corn
Step 1. Pour the frozen beans into a microwave-safe bowl
Open the package of corn and pour the contents. If you wish, you can break up the large lumps of beans to ensure even cooking. However, this is an optional step.
Step 2. If you wish, add water
At this point you can pour a small amount of water over the corn, if you prefer it a little softer. The extra water will boil and steam the beans, so their consistency will be more tender than that obtained with normal cooking.
You can adjust the amount of water according to your preferences; you can always drain it at a later time if you realize you have exaggerated. As a general rule, use 30 ml of water for every half kilo of frozen corn.
Step 3. Microwave the corn for 4-5 minutes
Set the appliance to maximum (or at the power you usually use) and heat the corn for about 4-5 minutes. Turn off the oven every 1-2 minutes to mix the beans and ensure even cooking.
Note: these instructions refer to a plate of about half a kilo of this frozen cereal. If you are using significantly lower doses, you will need to reduce the cooking time to 2-3 minutes so that the corn does not dry out or burn.
Step 4. Repeat if necessary
After the first stage of cooking, check the corn. Depending on the amount of cereal and the power of the oven, it may (or may not) need to be cooked again. If there are still cold spots, mix the beans and return them to the oven at two-minute intervals. Keep this cooking pace until the corn is ready.
Step 5. Season and serve
Once the corn is hot and there are no more frozen areas, it is ready to eat! You can season it as you like and enjoy it.
- For about half a kilo of corn, use 22 g of butter, salt and pepper to taste to get the "classic" flavor of this dish.
- There may be excess water on the bottom of the plate caused by melted ice. In this case, pour it into the sink (avoid touching it, as it will be hot) or transfer the beans to a colander to drain.
Step 6. Finished
Advice
- Microwave safe containers are glass, ceramic and some plastic ones. In general, you shouldn't use metal ones or disposable aluminum pans. You can do an online search to find the list of materials that can be used in this appliance.
- Instead of the classic "butter, salt and pepper" seasoning, you can use half a teaspoon of liquid smoke to give the corn a flavor similar to that cooked on the "barbecue".
- If you love "strong" flavors, add a pinch of red pepper or cayenne pepper.
- You can also add shallots, tarragon and a pinch of sugar. Don't be afraid to get creative when flavoring corn.
