Roasted corn on the cob with chipotle chilli butter

Food writer Suzanne Pirret

Pull back the husk from a cob of fresh sweetcorn and tie tightly with butcher's twine. Remove all silk fibres. Mix a spoonful or two of soft butter together with a good dash of chipotle chilli powder and sea salt, and slather over the corn. Cook on a griddle pan or under a grill for about 10-15 minutes total, turning till tender and charred. Sprinkle the husk with a few drops of water so it doesn't catch fire.

Grilled Corn Tips

In the Husk

Cooking corn in the husk keeps kernels juicy and gives them a mellow toasty flavor, making them a neutral base for herbal compound butters or spreads like aïoli.

Get Soaked

Before grilling, soak unhusked ears of corn in water for 30 minutes. The moisture will steam the corn as it grills and prevent the husks from burning.

Stripped Down

When grilled, shucked corn chars deeply and develops a bold flavor that can stand up to assertive spreads like wasabi butter or barbecue sauce.

Oil It Up

All foods, but especially water-rich vegetables, need a brushing of fat, such as olive oil, before they go on the grate. The fat promotes caramelization and prevents vegetables from drying out.

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