October 1, 2012

Corn on the Cob with Chili-Avocado Butter


A friend and I recently visited some farm houses in Boulder.  The farms were full of fresh produce, and everything was grown right there.  Boxes of freshly picked items were being unloaded as we browsed all the neat things available.  The corn had a sign that said "sweet peach corn," and while paying for the corn, the farmer said, "This will be the sweetest corn you've ever had!"

My thoughtful dad once sent me a great grilling cookbook full of creative ideas.  (When I first got my grill, I was a little worried about doing something wrong and burning my house down.  Aah, a first time homeowner's paranoia.  I think my dad sent me the cookbook to help me get past that.) ;)

Butter, salt, and pepper are a classic flavor combination for corn on the cob.  Since I was expecting this corn to be sweet, I wanted to do something to really bring out the flavor, so I turned to my handy grilling cookbook for inspiration!

By brushing the corn with the Italian salad dressing and then grilling it, the salad dressing flavor really livens up the flavor of the corn.  The chili-avocado butter flavors seep into the corn and make it sweet and spicy.  What a great combination!

You can cook fresh corn on the cob either in aluminum foil or in its own husks.  I prefer to cook it in the husks because the husks hold in the moisture of the corn and keep it from burning.  Either way, it will be delicious!

Corn on the Cob with Chili-Avocado Butter
Serves 8

Ingredients:
1/2 of a small ripe avocado, seeded, peeled, and chopped
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 tsp. chili powder or 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
8 fresh ears of corn
2 tbsp. bottled Italian salad dressing
Ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
In a small bowl, slightly mash the avocado with a fork.  Stir in the butter, the 1/2 tsp. chili powder, and the 1/8 tsp. salt.  Cover and chill for at least an hour.

Meanwhile, pull back cornhusks but do not remove.  Scrub corn to remove silks.  Soak corn and husks in cold water for 15 minutes.  Drain and pat dry.

Brush corn with salad dressing.  Sprinkle lightly with additional salt, black pepper, and more chili pepper (if desired).  Fold husks back around corn and tie with a strip of the husk.

On a preheated grill, place the corn over medium heat.  Cover and grill.  Serve corn with butter mixture.

Source: Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Grill It! (2010)

1 comment:

  1. I want to gobble everything up on that plate in the worst way---great flavors to infuse corn with...YUM!

    ReplyDelete

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