Are you Corny?

Corn… it’s the veggie of the summer. I recently picked up a Food network magazine where the cover was home to 3 huge ears of corn smothered in blue cheese and chives and sprinkled with Chili spices…  the succulent kernels were grilled to perfection and then inside were 50 ways to cook corn!

So as corny as my thoughts started to get… I had to fix this corn craving… it didn’t help that I attended a shrimp boil with my hopefully soon to be in laws and had such delicious corn on the cob with just a little seasoning and butter…

NEED CORN NOW… flipping through Chef Anne’s Cook like a Rock Star I found it… here we go… Corn, Bacon & Chili Crostini.

Nothing screams summer like corn and sweet iced tea… some fresh squeezed lemon and home brew of ice tea with a splash of peach vodka… need a little boost while shucking!

I start with 2 ears of corn, split in half to fit on my George Foreman grill. Per Anne you coat them with some EVOO and salt and I used a little bit of garlic powder in addition.

You need to first char your corn on each side… about 2-3 minutes per side… a bit longer if you are using your George.

As you are flipping your ears, start prepping your other ingredients. Slice 4 strips of bacon into strips horizontal… you want those to be small enough once cooked to blend in with the corn but big enough to get enough bacon flavor!

Also, you can slice 2 Fresno chilies per Chef Anne. I used regular small bell peppers not because of the spice more because I couldn’t find any fresh Fresno chilies. Also at this time you can slice up 4 scallions thinly both white and green parts.

Heat up a pan with EVOO and start with your bacon… I have learned how dangerous cooking in a pan after bacon can be but how heavenly it tastes!

As your bacon cooks, your corn is probably done… you will need to get the corn off the cob, without eating it of course! Place the cob sideways and slice down and let the kernels fall off and save to use in just a bit…

Once your bacon is brown and crispy… throw in the peppers and cook for another 2-3 minutes per Chef Burrell.. then add your corn and stir this bad boy up!

Here’s the kicker... toss in salt and 3-4 tablespoons of red wine vinegar... this truly makes this divine… now top with your scallions.

Here we are mixing up this corny madness!

Now you need something to scoop this up with… Chef Anne recommends a baguette ½ inch slices and has you rub a clove of garlic and olive oil on the slices and grill. I have done that as well as just using simple Tostitos. Either way you are in for a real treat.

Whether you whip corn up in some salsa or just relish in its simplicity on the grill… corn is delicious and definitely one of the most versatile veggies in my opinion.

This Chef Anne recipe is one of the best corn recipes I have ever had. It’s been a hit at BBQs as a "dip", at dinner parties as a side, and even makes an impressive topper on chicken!

So go on, get CORNY ya’ll!