This is a broth that squeezes every bit from corn cobs, simmering them until their sweet flavor builds a stock you finish with quick-cooking chicken and greens. The cobs transform into something worth the pot.

Serves 2. 45 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 370 calories a serving, 33 g protein, 36 g carbohydrate, 12 g fat. From USDA figures for 88% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 3 corn cobs, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, 1 small onion, 2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon oil, 8 ounces chicken breast or thigh, 4 ounces leafy greens, such as spinach or kale.

1. Cut 3 corn cobs into thirds. Dice 1 small onion and mince 2 garlic cloves. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a pot over medium-high, add the onion and garlic, and cook for 2 minutes, until fragrant.2 min
2. Pour 6 cups water into the pot, add the corn cob pieces and 1 teaspoon salt, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 minutes while you prep the chicken and greens.25 min
3. Cut 8 ounces chicken into bite-sized pieces and roughly chop 4 ounces greens. When the cobs have simmered, strain the broth into another pot or bowl, discarding the cobs.
4. Return the broth to the pot and bring it back to a simmer over medium heat. Add the chicken pieces and cook for 5 minutes, then add the greens and cook for another 3 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the greens are wilted.8 min
5. Taste and adjust with ½ teaspoon pepper and more salt if needed. Ladle into two bowls and serve hot.

Note Swap the greens for any vegetable that cooks fast; diced zucchini or tomato work well. Leftovers keep for three days in the fridge and reheat gently on the stove. Serve with crusty bread to soak up the broth, or over rice to stretch it further.

Frozen corn melts into a silky, buttery sauce with garlic and sage in under twenty minutes. This is the kind of quiet, warming dish that asks nothing of you but gets the last kernels used and dinner on the table before you know it.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 10 at the stove.

About 420 calories a serving, 6 g protein, 26 g carbohydrate, 35 g fat. From USDA figures for 100% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 1 cup [240 mL] frozen corn kernels, 2 tablespoons [28 g] butter, 2 cloves garlic, to taste salt, to taste pepper, 2 tablespoons minced onion, 1/2 cup [120 mL] heavy cream.

1. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat and cook 2 tablespoons minced onion and 2 minced cloves garlic until soft, about 3 minutes, stirring now and then.3 min
2. Add 1 cup frozen corn kernels and cook, stirring, until the corn is no longer frozen solid and begins to release its starch, about 4 minutes.4 min
3. Pour in 1/2 cup heavy cream, bring to a bare simmer, and cook until the corn is tender and the cream has thickened slightly, about 8 minutes.8 min
4. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Note Swap cream for half-and-half or whole milk, though you may need an extra minute or two to thicken. Leftovers keep three days in the fridge and can be thinned with broth and made into soup. Serve over buttered toast, soft polenta, or rice.

Sweet corn kernels stirred into creamy polenta with crispy sage leaves, finished in a hot pan to brown the edges. The half cup of corn makes this quick supper for two, with buttery depth that carries the dish without fussing.

Serves 2. 20 minutes, 15 at the stove.

About 260 calories a serving, 2 g protein, 12 g carbohydrate, 24 g fat. From USDA figures for 67% of the ingredients; amounts are the recipe's.

You need 1/2 cup fresh corn kernels, 4 tablespoons butter, 1 clove garlic, to taste salt, to taste pepper, 1/2 cup cornmeal, 2 cups vegetable stock, 4 leaves fresh sage.

1. Bring 2 cups of stock to a boil in a medium pot over high heat. Mince 1 garlic clove and whisk it into the stock along with salt and pepper to taste. Slowly rain in 1/2 cup of cornmeal while stirring constantly to avoid lumps, which will take about 2 minutes.
2. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the 1/2 cup of corn kernels. Continue stirring every minute until the polenta thickens and pulls away from the sides of the pot, about 8 minutes; when it clings to a wooden spoon, it is done.8 min
3. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add 4 fresh sage leaves and fry until golden and crispy, about 2 minutes, then lift them out and set aside.2 min
4. Spoon the polenta into two shallow bowls and make a small well in each. Place 1 tablespoon of butter in each well and top with the crispy sage leaves. Serve at once while the polenta is hot and the butter melts into it.

Note Swap in crumbled Parmesan for the sage if that's what you have. Leftovers keep in the fridge for two days and soften; rewarm gently with a splash of stock. Serve with a sharp green salad or steamed greens.