Nebraska is known as the Cornhusker State. We call our beloved football team the Huskers. We grow a lot of corn-- 1,365,350,000 bushels in 2015, according to Nebraska Agriculture Statistics. Now, to be sure, most of this corn is feed corn for cows not people. But there is little to beat fresh sweet corn grown in this great state. It's unbelievably fresh; folks pick it on their farms then sell it off the backs of their trucks. Generally, I think eating it off the cob is the best way to go, but the following recipe is a different sort of preparation, in case you're getting tired (is that possible?) of whole-kernel corn. Bonus: when you cut the corn off the cob, you can then use the cobs for corncob jelly. 
Fettuccine with Corn Carbonara (adapted from Tim Maslow's recipe in Food & Wine)7 ears corn
1 lb spaghetti
1/4 lb thick-cut bacon
2 shallots
2 garlic cloves
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt & pepper
Begin by prepping everything: husk the corn and cut the kernels off the cob. Scrape the remaining corn bits off the cob, add them to the kernels, and puree the lot. Dice the bacon and shallots, and mince the garlic cloves. Cook the pasta according to package instructions. Reserve 2 C of the pasta water before you drain it off.
In a large saucepan, render the bacon over medium heat (It'll take about 7 minutes.) Add the shallots and garlic, and cook until softened. Add the spaghetti, corn puree, 1 1/4 C of pasta water, and lemon juice. Continue to cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens and takes on a creamy texture. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Note: The photos here show a half recipe; a full recipe wouldn't fit in our Magic Bullet.
Carbonara usually is made with eggs and cheese; this corn-based version, though, is remarkably satisfying. It's surprisingly rich and very creamy, and the sauce clings to the pasta just the way I would expect an authentic carbonara to. I wouldn't have recognized it as corn, except that I had made it myself, and there were a few bits of corn kernel casing in it. The corn bits can be strained out before the puree is added to the pan. I lack the patience to strain something that thick; you have to constantly move it around your sieve and press it through a little bit, and if you only have a small sieve, you have to periodically clean it out. Alternately, it might be less trying for one's patience to use cheesecloth rather than a sieve, because then you can squeeze the bejabbers out of the puree and force it through faster. Either way, it's not essential, but it makes the dish that much more finished.
Final verdict: super-yummy. I'd recommend corn "carbonara" to anyone who enjoys pasta; my husband and I both greatly enjoyed this dish. As summer approaches, I'm looking forward to making it again.
