Corn Basters
At the peak of season, sweet corn needs little more than to be heated up! I like to shuck mine and just throw it on a hot grill to warm it and char it up for flavor. When it comes off the grill, I baste it or squirt it with melted flavored butters. Here are a few favorites:
- Level: Easy
Ingredients
2 tablespoons lime zest
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons grill seasoning
1 stick butter
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a small pot and melt butter over low heat. Transfer to a small bowl, for basting, or to a squirt bottle. Serve warm with grilled corn.
- Yield: about 1/2 cup butter topping
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: less than 5 minutes
- Ease of preparation: easy
- Garlic Gazpacho Butter:
- 1 large clove garlic
- 1 fresh jalapeno, seeded
- A handful cilantro leaves
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- 1/2 cup vegetable juice (recommended: V8 or Bloody Mary mix
- 2 teaspoons hot sauce
- 1/2 stick butter, softened
- Finely chop the garlic, jalapeno and cilantro and mash with the salt to paste it. Transfer to a small pot and add the vegetable juice or Bloody Mary mix, hot sauce and butter. Heat the combination over low heat until butter melts and transfer to a small bowl, for basting, or to a squirt bottle. Serve warm with grilled corn.
- Yield: 1 cup butter topping
- Prep Time: 5 to 6 minutes
- Cook Time: less than 5 minutes
- Ease of preparation: easy
- Equally tasty are dry topping blends to sprinkle on plain buttered corn.
- Pizza Corn Sprinkler:
- 1 cup grated Parmigiano or Romano
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano or Italian dried seasoning blend
- 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- Combine all ingredients and sprinkle on buttered corn on the cob or popped corn.
- Yield: 1 cup
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: none
- Ease of preparation: easy
- TIDBIT:
- Buttered corn with chopped chives is easy and adds just a little something extra to plain corn with no effort.
