Summer is around the corner but you really don’t need me to tell you this. We’re about to embark on High Grill Season, a time of year marked with non-stop outdoor recipes, summer sides and grilled meats. We’re all bound to go overboard during summer and you know what? That’s fine with me. Because if any season speaks to me about the bounty of food it’s certainly summer.
What I love most about summer cooking is that it gives us certain cooks a pass on formality. A little of this, some of that, it’s a good time to veer just a teeny bit from the exact science of cooking. Perhaps this is because the cooking wildcard known as The Grill can’t be controlled but coaxed, befriended but never bossed. I’m sure some folks with expensive built-in outdoor gas grills may have better luck with this but me? I don’t have that. I’ve learned to love a flame that acts like a mischievous child — give it the right upbringing and it behaves. Ignore and neglect it and it”ll disappoint you and disappear.
When I head outdoors to cook I’m usually armed with very little other than food & tongs. There might be a spray bottle near to keep flare-ups down but I like to keep it simple during summer. Those big and bold warm-weathered flavors don’t really need a lot of fuss.
I think a perfect example of this is grilled corn, its sweet flavor really only needs a little bit of salt and pepper. Or a simple vinaigrette that we whipped up last weekend when testing a few recipes. Corn is grilled, drizzled with vinaigrette and then sprinkled with feta. It’s a riff on one of my favorite salads and it works marvelously.
Grilled Corn with Feta & Lime Vinaigrette
No no no, I am not about to give you measurements for this because my brain is full from writing recipes for a book. But trust me, it’s not hard to do. Grill corn to your liking, with husk or without, soaked or not. Once cooked, drizzle or brush with a vinaigrette that’s two parts olive oil to one part fresh lime juice and just a tiny bit of lime zest. Sprinkle crumbled feta cheese and chopped cilantro on top, season with a bit of cracked black pepper and salt if you’d like. That’s it. It couldn’t be easier.
-- Also published on MattBites.com