Growing up, we always boiled our corn, but I actually prefer to grill it. Grilling can be done with the outer husk still on the cob, or with the corn shucked. Leaving the husk on holds more of the moisture in the cob, and the green husk leaves also give a little flavor to the corn. If you're going to leave the husk on, though, it is very important that you soak the corn in water for at least an hour before grilling, otherwise the husk could literally burst into flames on the grill. I usually peel back the top part of the husk and remove the majority of the corn silk, then close up the husk and plunge the corn into a large bowl of water. After grilling, simply peel back the outer husks, slather on some butter and sprinkle with salt.
There's a second school of thought on grilling corn, and that is to shuck the corn before grilling. This is actually the method I prefer. After removing the husk leaves and corn silk, I drizzle the kernels with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place the cobs on a hot grill or grill pan. As you see good grill marks develop on the kernels, turn the cob until it is well marked on all sides--and don't be surprised if some of the kernels start to burst. Grilling without the husk dries out the corn a bit as it cooks, you'll even see the kernels start to shrivel. But, I think it actually makes the corn taste better--you get more more smokiness, and the slight dehydration of the kernels concentrates the flavors and makes it taste more "corny" to me. I don't even put butter on corn grilled this way, I eat it just as it is off the cob.
Of course, there is so much more you can do with corn other than eat it straight off the cob--and yes, it is VERY delicious just that way. But, I was feeling inspired, so I put together a couple of other recipes that will give you new, tasty ways to enjoy your favorite summer vegetable.
Grilled Corn Salsa
Makes about 3 cups of salsa
4 ears grilled corn
2 plum tomatoes, cored and diced
1 large jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
¼ cup chopped cilantro
leaves
½ teaspoon ground
coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
juice of a lime
Kosher salt to taste
Cut the kernels off the corn cobs and place in a large bowl. Mix in the rest of the ingredients. Season to taste and serve. It makes a great garnish to grilled chicken or fish, or eat it with chips straight out of the bowl.
Cheesy Corn Casserole
Serves 12
12 ears of corn, shucked and silks removed
1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter
2 large shallots, finely chopped
¾ cup all purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly
ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne
pepper
1 tablespoon Dijon
mustard
8 ounces cheese (I used
half chevre and half white cheddar)
¾ cup fresh chopped
herbs (I used basil, chives and lemon thyme from my garden)
1 ½ cups panko bread
crumbs
½ cup finely grated
parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon butter,
melted, plus additional to butter the casserole dish
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Butter a 9x13 inch casserole dish.
Place the corn on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Bake until the corn kernels are beginning to shrivel, about 45 minutes. You'll want to turn the corn about half way through baking. By baking the corn instead of boiling it, you will cook out some of the moisture. If you skip this step, the corn will release enough liquid during cooking in the casserole to make the sauce very watery. After the corn as cooled enough to handle, cut the kernels off the cob. You should have about 8 cups of corn kernels.
Melt the butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat. When completely melted, add the shallots and cook, stirring, until the shallots are softened and translucent, about 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the shallots and mix into the butter and shallots until it is fully absorbed and beginning to bubble. Whisk in the milk, and stir well to evenly dissolve the butter and flour mixture into the milk--no lumps! Mix in the spices and mustard and continue to cook stirring, until the sauce fully thickens, about 5 to 6 minutes. Add the cheese and continue to stir until it is melted and mixed evenly through the sauce. Mix in the corn kernels and herbs. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Transfer the mixture to the buttered baking dish. In a small bowl, mix together the panko, parmesan and melted butter. Spread the panko mixture over the top of the corn mixture in an even layer. Place the casserole dish in the oven and bake until the bread crumbs are browned and the casserole is bubbling, about 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before serving. Try not to lick the bottom of the casserole dish after you've served your guests. Although, what happens in the kitchen, stays in the kitchen.
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