Space Force To Become A Reality Under Trump Administration, Creative Cooking With Sweet Corn

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• Space Force To Become A Reality Under Trump Administration

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  Vice President Mike Pence announced the creation of the Space Force at a news conference Thursday. Pence said that the new U.S. defense branch was crucial to maintain America’s dominance in space and combat other weapons threats from countries such as Russia or China. Sandra Erwin of Space News joins us to talk about the announcement and what challenges the Space Force could face before getting established.

• Significant Rules Changes Coming To College Basketball

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  Following the FBI’s investigation into college basketball’s recruiting practices, the NCAA has announced widespread rules changes – including allowing “elite” high school players to hire agents and letting underclassmen return to college if they enter the NBA draft but are not picked. We look at what the scope of the new policies and what other changes may be on the way.

• Sweet Corn Is As Versatile As It Is Accessible

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  From appetizers to dessert, corn is a vegetable with mass appeal and versatility, says chef Terri Milligan.

  Corn can be made into a risotto with wild mushroom, or turned into a type of fishcake with shrimp. It can even be made into ice cream, said Milligan, a culinary instructor, and food writer for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and Edible Door food magazine.

  Produced on every continent of the world except for Antarctica, corn’s accessibility makes it easy to enjoy the vegetable straight off the stalk or get a quick side dish by microwaving the cob, with husks intact, for two minutes on each side.

  But there are plenty of other ways to cook and enjoy the sweet creation that got its start 9,000 years ago just south of the border.

  While some corn cookers might take the husk and put it right on the grill, Milligan said that can dry out the corn if it’s not fresh. Instead, keep the cob moist by peeling back some of the leaves and soaking it in water for 20 minutes before throwing it on the grill.

  Add salt to the water so that it flavors the corn, Milligan said. Twelve ears of corn soaking in a roasting pan would call for a generous teaspoon of salt, she said.

  After its bath, rub butter or olive oil on it and wrap it back up before cooking. For an herby flavor, put fresh rosemary inside of the husks before grilling.

  Once the sweet corn has finished cooking, use a sharp knife to cut the corn from the cob.

  
  Grilled Corn And Avocado Salad. Photo courtesy of Terri Milligan

  Milligan suggested pairing grilled corn with avocado in a salad that gets color from red bell peppers and sun-dried tomatoes.

  “It’s a great little salad you can use as an accompaniment with everything from a grilled steak to chicken to salmon,” she said.

  To keep the cob from wobbling while you slice off the corn, cut the cob in half so the bottom sits flat. Another option is to stick the bottom part of the cob into the center of a bunt pan and cut around the cob. That way, the corn will collect in the bunt pan, leaving little to clean up.

  This is a great option for soup, as corn juices will collect in the pan and can be added to stock.

  Otherwise, Milligan said cobs can be added directly to the stock to add in more corn flavor. To do this, toss cobs into stock and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Milligan uses this method in her chipotle corn soup recipe.

  
  Corn Ice Cream With Blueberry Sauce. Photo courtesy of Terri Milligan

  Cobs also are used in Milligan’s recipe for corn ice cream, which she insists is worth a try.

  “People do question it when they see this recipe, but it’s pretty darn delicious,” she said.

  She makes this by combining corn kernels, cobs, milk, cream and vanilla in a pan and bringing it to a simmer. Let the contents steep before discarding the cobs. Then, puree the rest to get the custard base for the ice cream, she said.

  “I like to serve it with a fresh berry sauce,” she said. “Being from Door County, I like cherry sauce.”

• Food Friday: Celebrating Sweet Corn

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  Fresh sweet corn is showing up at farmers’ markets, roadside stands and grocery stores. Maybe you just like to boil it, slather it with butter, sprinkle it with salt and eat it right off the cob. However, in this edition of Food Friday, we discuss how versatile corn is and share a few recipes on how to enjoy this year’s harvest.