Corn-Off-The-Cob: Kate's Cilantro Citrus Corn

Corn has long been one of my favorite vegetables. It is one that brings me back to my childhood. I have memories of sitting out on the deck on a hot summer day, shucking ears of corn with my sister. I remember it being so challenging to try to remove all of the silk strands off the corn, but I always tried to get all of them. My mother would boil the corn, and we’d serve it with little plastic yellow corn holders (which looked like miniature ears of corn) that pierced each end of the cob. I’d spread butter all over the corn, and sprinkle it with salt, and the twirl the corn around and eat it from side to side until all of the kernels were eaten.

Twenty-five years later the little yellow plastic corn holders are long gone, but we’re still enjoying corn on the cob, and this evening I sat on my deck and tried to remove the little threads of corn silk. We bought a baker’s dozen from a roadside farm last weekend. I try to buy corn as much as I can during it’s peak season. We toss it on the grill (coated in a little olive oil), and then once it cools I cut the kernels off the cob, package it up, and put it in the freezer to pull out in the upcoming months when fresh corn is no longer available.

While I believe that corn needs nothing more than a little butter and salt (and is actually delicious on it's own), I sometimes add a few more ingredients to incorporate some new flavors. I really enjoy this with cilantro, but you could add whatever herbs you prefer.

Cilantro Citrus Corn
Ingredients
6 shucked ears of fresh corn on the cob
¼ cup butter (1/2 stick), melted
2 Tbs. lemon juice
½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Directions
Cook corn by your desired method (boil in a covered pot of water for approximately 5 minutes; or, coat with olive oil and grill on high heat for 6-8 minutes, rotating frequently). Allow corn to cool. Taking one cob at a time, use a large knife to cut kernels off the cob, cutting from one end to the other.

Combine melted butter, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Toss butter mixture with corn in a large bowl, trying to coat all the corn kernels. Add cilantro, toss gently, and serve.