Grilled Corn with Lime Butter and Smokey Mayo {And How to Grill the Perfect Corn}

On a recent trip back to the UK, we went to one of my absolutely favourite restaurants, Wahaca. I’ve loved this Mexican chain since I first went a few years ago, and it’s one that’s been reserved for special occasions. The chain was started by Thomasina Miers, a Masterchef graduate, who believes in taking the authentic Mexican food inspiration right from the street markets of Wahaca, and sourcing local ingredients to create unforgettable food. This authentic Mexican restaurant is a must visit if you’re in the UK!

It would be impossible to pick a favourite dish. Their menu focuses on fresh ingredients, small plates and lots of flavour. Their guacamole is absolutely to die for!

Related: Avocado Toast with Lime and Chilli Flakes

I’m always staring at the menu for hours deciding what to order, but a firm favourite is their grilled corn. I was inspired to try and make something similar and so this corn was born. And oh boy, it’s delicious!

One of the key things to know when cooking a corn on the cob, is how to get that perfectly juicy, sweet texture, and the charred smokey grill flavour simultaneously. Personally I find cooking the corn on the grill from start to finish causes the kernels to dry out, leaving you with the smokey flavour but no juiciness, and that’s just no good. Only steaming the corn, however, may keep it sweet and juicy, but you compromise that smokey grilled flavour. Also no good. I need both with my corn. So, my perfect solution is to steam (not boil) the corn for 10 minutes, and then grill it on a hot griddle pan which is lightly coated in oil for 5-10 minutes. That way you get the best of both worlds and the most delicious corn. Check.

Do we stop there? Of course not. Let’s smother it in zingy lime butter, smokey mayonnaise and then douse it with feta cheese and coriander. Now it’s a party. Enjoy!

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Grilled Corn with Lime Butter and Smokey Mayo

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 Ears of Corn
4 Tbsp Butter
2 Tbsp Lime Juice
1/3 Cup Mayonnaise
1 1/2 Teaspoons Smoked Paprika
1/2 Teaspoon Chilli Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
Feta Cheese
Fresh Coriander

Steps

1. To make the smokey mayo, mix the mayonnaise, smoked paprika, chilli powder and salt thoroughly and put to the side.

2. For the corn. Remove the husks and silk, then steam the corn for 10 minutes over simmering water. I have a saucepan with a set of baskets which fit on top, but any kind of steamer is fine. If you don’t have a steamer, boil the corn for 10 minutes instead. While the corn is steaming, lightly oil a griddle pan and heat on a medium to high heat. When the steaming is done, transfer the corn and grill for 5-10 minutes. The reason for the combination is that grilling fully can cause the corn to go dry, so by part cooking it by steaming, you retain all the moisture and then still get that lovely smokey flavour from the grill!

3. Melt the butter and mix with the lime juice and thoroughly coat the corn while it is still hot. Smother the mayonnaise on and crumble the feta cheese and freshly chopped coriander on top.

4. Serve immediately and enjoy!