It’s too bad so many cooks, when presented with a basket of beautifully fresh and local corn, strip off those husks and toss them. That’s a lot of flavor headed for the compost pile or, worse, the trash. I got the idea to use the husks to make corn broth from Vitaly Paley of Paley’s Place in Portland, Oregon, as mentioned in The Flavor Bible by Karen Page and Andrew Dornenburg. I was already using the cobs, so I threw the husks in the pot along with the silks, too, to get as much corn flavor as possible. This broth is best made in the very height of local corn season and won’t be as vibrant with supermarket corn. Once you have the broth on hand, use it as the base for soups, especially as a stand-in for chicken broth in Corn Risotto with Roasted Cherry Tomatoes (page 135) and add it in increments to sauces for a boost of summer flavor.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 to 5 cups
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Rinse the corn, then strip off the husks and silks. Discard any browned or blackened spots of silk and coarsely cut the remaining husks and silks into 2- to 3-inch pieces. Use a vegetable brush and running water to remove any remaining silks from the ears.
Step 2
Remove the kernels by cutting each cob in half, and then standing it on its flat end on a cutting board. Use a knife to slice the kernels off from top to bottom. Reserve the kernels for another use (freezing them if necessary). Cut the stripped cobs into 2- to 3-inch pieces and transfer them to a large stockpot. Cover with the husks and silks.
Step 3
Add the water and place the pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low to keep the liquid at a bare simmer; cover and cook undisturbed until very fragrant, about 1 hour.
Step 4
Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the husks, cobs, and silks. Strain again if needed to remove any remaining silks. The broth can be used right away; or let it cool to room temperature, then portion it into heavy-duty resealable plastic food storage bags or ice cube trays. Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
