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As summer winds down, we treasure the great tomatoes and wonderful corn emerging from our gardens and farmers markets.

“When I asked what I could bring to my daughter in Florida, she had only one request,” said Loretta Paganini to those gathered at the recent Farm to Table class at The Loretta Paganini School of Cooking in Chester Township. “She wanted Ohio sweet corn.”

So Paganini and her husband, Emil, bundled up a couple of dozen ears of freshly picked sweet corn in their luggage to take to their daughter, who lives in Fort Myers.

“I like to cook my corn in a mixture of water and milk,” Paganini said. “It makes it even better.”

She offers her recipe for fresh corn salsa today.

Related Articles Southern Ohio farmers with local ties raise what they say are healthier cattle that yields better-tasting beef Now with an actual dining space, downtown Painesville’s La Casita Taqueria is a must-visit | Restaurant review Corn is best when cooked immediately after picking, but farmers have developed varieties that last longer without becoming starchy. Most corn will keep unshucked and in the refrigerator for a week.

It can be steamed, boiled, grilled or microwaved and takes just a few minutes to prepare whichever way you choose. Should you wish to preserve the fresh sweet corn taste for winter, blanch husked ears for a minute or two in boiling water then use a sharp knife to scrape off the kernels. They’ll keep well frozen in a resealable plastic bag.

If you’re boiling your corn on the cob, bring enough salted water to a boil to cover the corn before you start peeling off the leaves and plucking out the cornsilk. The water should be boiling by the time the corn is ready to cook. The water will stop boiling when you immerse them, so start your timer once the water with the corn begins to boil again. I like them cooked for three to five minutes, but tastes vary.

Shake off the water when they’re done, generously butter the ears, salt and pepper and dig into corny deliciousness. A squeeze of lemon or lime adds to the flavor.

To be cooked in a microwave, corn is peeled after four minutes on high. It will be hot, so you need a kitchen towel around your hand to do the job, but the corn shucks and silk come off more easily, and the corn itself retains their earthy flavor.

Fresh ripe tomatoes are delicious on their own and in bacon-lettuce-and-tomato sandwiches. For a recent dinner, I placed thinly sliced ripe tomatoes on garlicky toast and topped them with just cooked shrimp. It was a yummy knife-and-fork dinner that capitalized on the flavors of tomatoes and shrimp.

Because getting fresh shrimp is almost impossible in this part of the country, I rely on frozen wild-caught Argentine red shrimp. They’re deveined and easy to peel. To quickly defrost them and prepare for further cooking, I place them in a bowl and pour boiling water over them. I make sure to dry them thoroughly between paper towels before further cooking.

Here are some recipes to help you bid the summer of 2022 a proper farewell:

4 ears of fresh Ohio sweet corn, blanched in water and milk

Juice from half a lemon

Juice from half a lime

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Blanch corn for 8 to 10 minutes in boiling water with milk.

Cut corn kernels from cobs and place in a large mixing bowl.

Add red onion, bell pepper and jalapeno.

Season with lemon and lime juice, olive oil, salt, paper and parsley.

½ cup parsley or cilantro, finely chopped

Kosher salt and black pepper

4 slices of bread (seeded sourdough or other sturdy country bread)

1 ½ pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 pound fresh tomatoes, thinly sliced

Fine chop 2 cloves of garlic and add to a small bowl with chopped parsley, season with salt and pepper and set aside. Thinly slice the remaining garlic cloves and set them aside.

Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Add bread and toast 2 to 3 minutes until golden brown on one side, then turn over. Place on a plate and set aside.

Heat butter and the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the same skillet.

Add sliced garlic, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until the butter browns, about 2 minutes.

Add shrimp and salt and pepper. Cook and stir for 3 to 4 minutes until shrimp are bright pink and just cooked through.

Add white wine and let cook for another minute.

Remove the pan from the heat.

Place sliced tomatoes on top of toast and sprinkle with half the parsley garlic mixture.

Spoon shrimp and buttery sauce from the skillet over the tomatoes and toast.

Finish with remaining parsley garlic mixture and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing.

— From Janet Podolak’s recipe box

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