For many on Nantucket, there is one ritual that marks the true start of the summer: the first bite of Bartlett’s Farm sweet corn. Grown nearby our island’s south shore beaches, this corn and the farm that grows it have become something of an island institution.
Bartlett’s Farm is Nantucket’s oldest and largest family-owned farm, tracing its roots back to William Bartlett, who began farming the land in the early 1800s. More than 180 years later, the farm is still run by the Bartlett family, now in its seventh generation, across acres of fields, greenhouses, and garden center land.
What sets Bartlett’s Farm apart from many commercial growers isn’t just the taste of its corn—it’s how that corn gets grown. In 2009, the farm began a gradual, years-long transition toward organic methods across its operation, a process that has required rethinking nearly everything about how crops are managed. After a small 1 acre test plot in 2022, Farmer Dave Bartlett decided it was time to make the jump and do 30 acres of organically grown sweet corn. Bartlett’s sweet corn is now grown using organic inputs and standards.
Every day hundreds of freshly picked ears of locally grown corn are offered for sale at Bartlett’s Farm from 8 am to 7 pm. And from 9 am to 1 pm Bartlett’s farm trucks sell their corn, tomatoes, and other farm fresh treats downtown on Main Street Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and in Sconset on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
When it’s this fresh, Bartlett’s Farm corn is delicious simply steamed or even eaten raw, but here we are sharing some of our staff’s favorite recipes for this bounty of summer.
CORN CHOWDER
from Bartlett’s Ocean View Farm Cookbook
- 8 ears fresh sweet corn, shucked and kernels cut from cob
- 4 slices of bacon, diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cups of potatoes, diced
- 3 cups of corn kernels, cooked or raw
- 3 cups of milk
- 1 cup half-and-half or light cream
- salt & pepper to taste
- chopped parsley and paprika for garnish
- Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and bacon and cook, stirring frequently, until onion has softened and started to brown lightly.
- Add in the flour and garlic and cook 1-1/2 minutes.
- While whisking, gradually pour in 5 cups of water or vegetable stock.
- Stir in corn kernels, potatoes, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a light boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
- Remove bay leaf then transfer 2-1/2 cups of the chowder to a blender and blend until smooth. Stir the mixture back into the pot and stir in half and half.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Sprinkle each serving with chives, serve hot.
- TIP: sear some bay scallops and “float” them in the center of the soup as an extra special Nantucket garnish!
CORN QUESADILLAS WITH FETA AND LIME
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 8 ounces white mushrooms, sliced
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1/4 tsp ground cumin
- 4 ears of corn, shucked
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 8 tortillas
- cilantro, chopped
- 8 ounces feta, crumbled
- SAUCE:
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- zest of 1 lime
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
- 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
- Boil the corn for 4-6 minutes or until cooked through, drain, cut kernels from the cob. While corn is cooking, in a mixing bowl, whisk together all sauce ingredents. set in refrigerator.
- In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 Tbsp butter. Add red bell pepper and onion. Saute until softened. Add mushrooms, garlic, salt, pepper, chili powder, and cumin. Add corn kernels. Cook until mushrooms are softened.
- Grease a separate skillet with cooking spray and set over medium heat. To assemble the quesadillas, add one tortilla to the skillet. Sprinkle the bottom evenly with cheddar cheese. Add about 1/2 cup of the corn mixture. Sprinkle with more cheese. Top with a second tortilla. Cook for 2-4 minutes until the bottom stats to brown and cheese melts. then flip. Cook another 2-3 minutes. Repeat with the remaining tortillas.
- Cut the quesadillas into triangles. Top with dipping sauce, cilantro, and feta
GRILLED CORN SALAD/SALSA
- 4 ears of corn, shucked
- 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- one 15oz can of black beans, rinsed and drained
- 2 avocados, diced
- 1 red onion, finely diced
- 1 orange bell pepper, diced small
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 2 TBSP olive oil
- 1 lemon or 2 limes, juiced
- 1 -2 tsp. cumin
- 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- Brush ears of corn with olive oil, then roast them on the grill, turning often until desired doneness. Cool the corn and cut the kernels from cob.
- Prep rest of the veggies as corn is cooling and then mix them with roast corn kernels in a large serving bowl. Toss well to combine.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together olive oil, lemon or lime juice, cumin, salt and pepper. Pour dressing over the veggies, toss gently to coat evenly and let rest about 10 minutes before serving.
PARMESAN ZUCCHINI AND CORN
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 zucchinis, diced
- 1 cup corn kernels, roasted
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh basil chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon fresh oregano chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme chopped
- juice of 1 lime
- 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan, or more, to taste
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add garlic to the skillet, and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Add zucchini, corn, basil, oregano, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until zucchini is tender and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes; season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in lime juice
- Serve immediately, sprinkled with Parmesan.
