Grilled Corn on the Cob with Smoky Lime Butter

by Caren McSherry

Forget boiling corn – elevate the sweet flavour of BCfresh corn on the cob by low, slow grilling on your barbecue or grill pan. Fancy food magazines always display the grilled corn husks creatively tied back, and it looks lovely. That may work for magazines, but not in reality! When the corn is ready, it is sizzling hot. Skip the scalded fingertips and just keep it real. Peel the corn, rub it lightly with olive oil, and lay it on the barbecue. No burning husks to deal with, just easy-to-serve and, more importantly, easy-to-eat corn.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tsp fresh lime zest
1 tsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp sweet or hot smoked Spanish paprika
1 tsp kosher salt
6 cobs BCfresh corn
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lime, cut into 6 wedges

Method:

1. To make the smoky lime butter, mix together the butter, lime zest and juice, paprika, and salt. Taste for seasoning and adjust to suit your preference. The smoky lime butter can be prepared in advance and frozen; it will keep for 2 to 3 months in the freezer.
2. Lay an 8 x 12-inch piece of plastic wrap on your work surface. Transfer the butter mixture to the plastic wrap. Even out the butter and, using the plastic wrap to help you, roll it up. Squeeze and twist the ends of the plastic wrap so the butter looks like a sausage in a casing, then place it in the freezer for 30 minutes to harden.
3. Meanwhile, preheat your barbecue or grill pan to medium. Peel the corn and ensure you remove all the silk. Lightly rub the cobs with the olive oil. Slowly grill for about 15 to 20 minutes, turning frequently to avoid uneven cooking. The kernels should be a deep caramel brown.
4. When the corn is cooked, remove the smoky lime butter from the freezer, unwrap it, and slice it into ¼-inch disks. Transfer the hot corn to a serving dish and top each cob with 2 to 3 butter disks. If you like, serve with lime wedges on the side.