成人快手

by Elainea Emmott

Sweetcorn is a must for a summer barbecue. Sweetcorn ribs have the wow factor and are easy to eat. The dips add flavour and colour, and can be prepared (or bought) in advance. Fingerlicious.

Light meals & snacks

Buyer's guide

By late summer young, tender sweetcorn starts to appear in the shops and markets. At their best, the husks should be green and fresh and the tassel at the end should be fine and silky, not dry and browned. Peel back the top of the husk and push your thumbnail into a kernel. If it spits juice in your eye, it is a good cob.

Storage

For the best flavour, sweetcorn should be eaten as soon as it's picked, a bit of a tall order unless you grow it yourself or go to a pick-your-own farm. Eaten when really fresh, you will enjoy the sweetness of the kernels which should be plump and juicy and full of flavour. Frozen sweetcorn kernels are a good substitute when fresh sweetcorn is out of season. Frozen cobs are less good.

Preparation

Sweetcorn should be cooked in boiling water with a little sugar but not salt, which can can make the kernels tough. After cooking, season the cobs with salt and freshly ground black pepper pepper and serve with lots of melted butter. Alternatively, cut the kernels straight off the cob and use in a recipe.