I often find it a pain to boil an entire pot of water for just a few ears of corn. It takes forever to boil the water and then you have to wash the pot afterwards. Moreover, boiling vegetables in large pots of water washes away valuable nutrients. Prolonged exposure to heat also results in the break down of vitamins and minerals.
Alas, I introduce a quick, easy, and totally healthy way of making just a few ears of corn.
Step 1: Remove the silk and most of the husk, leaving just one or two layers - enough to keep the steam inside the corn when it cooks. I like to use scissors to snip off the ends just to clean everything up.
Step 2: Put corn in the microwave
Step 3: Cook on HIGH for about 3 minutes. Voila, the corn is done! Be careful when removing the husk from the cob - the corn is VERY HOT! I often run it under cold water in the sink while I remove the husk. You could also wear gloves or use tongs and scissors to cut off the husk.
Now wasn't that so much easier than boiling a pot of water? And nothing to clean afterward either!
Note: 3 minutes works well for 1 ear of corn. Sometimes when I am cooking two ears (like above) I might cook for 2 minutes, roll the ear a half turn, and then cook for another minute and a half. I find that the bottom half of the corn tends to cook faster, so I like to rotate it sometimes.
Originally published Sunday, August 19, 2007. Updated with new photos May 28, 2010
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