Wednesday 1 June 2016

GRILLED SWEET CORN+GARLIC AIOLI

Grilled corn is a great addition to any meal and due to its versatility, could be served as a salad or as a side dish or just as a tasty snack.  It is very low in calories, has no carbs, not much sugar or cholesterol and most importantly it tastes great.

I sometimes grill the cobs so I can add the kernels to a salad.  Their smoky flavour and different texture bring a totally new dimension to any simple salad making it look more colourful and exciting.

It is a great accompaniment to any grilled meat or chicken, especially burgers.  Barbecuing your proteins and vegetables at the same time is also a great time-saver and therefore, ideal for a mid-week quick dinner fix.

So let's get cooking.

To feed 4 people you need:
4 cobs corn, husks and leaves removed
2-3 tbs olive oil
1 tbsp sweet paprika
4 pieces of foil about 15cm in length
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method: If you are in a great rush, you can cut the cobs in half to speed up the cooking process.  I also find that the small pieces are much easier for handling.  Cut four pieces of foil, each to accommodate 2 pieces of corn.  Place the cob pieces, or two halves, in the centre of the foil, splash with olive oil, sprinkle with paprika, salt and pepper and rub the seasoning all over the corn, seal the foil on all sides into parcels, repeat for the remaining pieces.  

Pre-heat the BBQ to 180C and arrange the parcels on the griddle.  To make sure that the corn is cooked evenly, turn the parcel around every 5 to 7 minutes depending on the size of the cob until the kernels have browned but not burnt.  It may take you between 15 to 20 minutes to cook the corn, so if you are barbecuing any meat too, add it to the grill later.

Once the corn is cooked, remove it from the grill and bring to the table.  Let everyone unravel his own parcel but be careful that it is quite hot.

Grilled corn is quite tasty on its own but I love to serve it with garlic aioli on the side.  Aioli is a lovely and pungent type of mayonnaise that is used to enhance the dish to give it a real kick.



There are as many versions and names for this condiment as there are chefs and cooks, however here is my take on garlic aioli.  It is quite easy to make, I personally love Jamie OIiver's recipe and follow it when I have time.

Mine, however, is a short-cut version where I use commercially made mayonnaise but it tastes good nevertheless.  

You need:
2 tbs Whole Egg mayonnaise
1 tbs fat free yogurt 
1 tbs cold water (if needed)
1 clove garlic finely grated
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
A pinch of cayenne paper or chili flakes (for the heat lovers)

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl, if the mixture looks too thick, add a splash of cold water but make sure it is not runny, place in a small bawl and serve alongside the corn.


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