Here’s a secret for adding some great flavors to grilled corn. In this dish, familiar Italian flavors like garlic, sun-dried tomatoes and fresh basil yield a buttery pizza flavor.

by Tina Martini, The Medicine Chef  

You can take it from there Chef! Create your own uniquely flavored butters with favorite herbs and spices. I’ll even add a splash of beer into the melt, sometimes. Experiment and post your comments, below.  Hey, is the grill hot yet?!

Ingredients

• Corn (2 servings per large ear)
• Butter
• Chili powder
• A fresh lime

Directions

1. Pull back husk and remove all of the corn silks you can. Also, look for and remove worms! optional
2. Replace the husk and submerge the corn in a bucket or sink of clean water. You can place a pot or heavy plate over the corn to hold it under. Soak one hour.
3. Heat grill to medium-high.
4. Remove corn from water and shake off the excess so you can get a good char on your husks. Don’t worry about burning the corn. The husks and water bath will take care of that. This is how you’re going to get that great smokey flavor into your corn.
5. Place the prepared ears on the grill and close the lid. Check and turn every 10-12 minutes, up to 30 minutes.
6. Remove from heat and place on a sheet pan to cool.
7. In a small saucepan, melt at least one stick of real butter or four ounces of Earth Balance Vegan “Butter”.
8. Add two teaspoons of chili powder to the butter.
9. Cook on low for two to three minutes to release the essential oils in the chili powder.
10. Remove from heat and add the juice of one lime, and a half teaspoon of lime zest.

Remove charred husks from the ears of Corn. Cut Corn into serving sizes, and brush with Chili/Lime butter.

Phyto Facts

Non-genetically modified (NGM) corn is one of the healthiest foods on the planet. There are many colors of corn; each containing it’s own group of phytonutrients. We’ll focus on yellow corn for now. The darker yellow the corn, the more carotenoids are present. This group of phytonutrients are at the top of the list in the fight against cancer. Corn contains many minerals including zinc. Every time you eat food containing zinc, your body automatically produces super oxide dimutase, a very powerful antioxidant. Lutein and zeaxanthin protect our eyes from macular degeneration, and sun damage in general. The fiber in corn “sweeps” debris from the large intestines, strengthens digestion, as well as managing blood sugar. This action alone increases our immune system substantially. Corn is a great source of stress-reducing B vitamins. A special protein in corn, lectin, binds to viruses causing them to become inactive. Corn is one of our greatest hopes in search of a cure for HIV. Chewing on the corn cob is natures toothbrush. The act of drying corn, concentrates the polyphenols that make popcorn a stroke prevention tool, as well as preventing blood clots of all types. Polyphenols increase the bodies natural cancer fighting enzymes, as well as protecting the cardiovascular system from plaque build up, and cholesterol damage. 

by Chef Tina Martini, “The Medicine Chef” @MedicineChef | Facebook Chef Martini is an experienced, well-versed television personality with a successful and proven track record. She holds a doctorate from Bastyr University in Naturopathy and a Nutrition degree from San Diego State University. She mixes cooking with nutrition, fitness and wellness!

photo credit: Another Pint Please… via photopin cc