Charred Corn on the Cob with Grilled Tomato Oil

Charred Corn on the Cob with Grilled Tomato Oil

For the corn 

• 4 ears corn, husks left on
• ½ cup Grilled Tomato Oil (recipe follows)

For the tomato oil

4 ripe plum tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup California Olive Ranch extra-virgin olive oil

1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped

1 large sprig fresh oregano or thyme

1/2 teaspoon honey

1/4 teaspoon coarse salt

For the corn: Light a grill for direct medium-high heat, about 425°F. Grill the corn in their husks directly over the heat, turning every 5 minutes, until the husks are blackened all over, 15 to 18 minutes total. During the last 5 to 8 minutes, put on grill mitts and peel back the outer blackened husks to expose some of the corn kernels. Continue grilling until some of the corn kernels are browned and lightly charred.Remove from the grill and let cool slightly. Remove the husks and brush generously with the tomato oil.

For the tomato oil: Light a grill for direct medium-high heat, about 425°F. In a small bowl, toss the tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of the oil. Brush the grill grate and coat with oil. Grill the tomatoes, cut side down, directly over the heat until nicely grill-marked, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and grill until the other side is nicely marked, about 3 minutes more. Return to the bowl.

Transfer the grilled tomatoes and oil to a small food processor and puree until fairly smooth. Strain the sauce through a food mill or push gently through a fine-mesh sieve into a small saucepan, leaving behind much of the solids. Add the garlic and oregano to the pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and strain the liquid into a small container with a tight-fitting lid, such as a canning jar. Add the honey and salt, stirring until dissolved. Let cool, then whisk in the remaining olive oil. Refrigerate for up to 4 days. If the cold oil becomes cloudy, it will clear when returned to room temperature.

Chef's Notes: A grill is the best vessel you have for cooking corn. You don’t need to husk, soak, boil, or foil-wrap the corn. Just start the fire and throw the cobs on, husks and all. Close the lid and sit back. It will take about 15 minutes, and you will have to turn the cobs every 5 minutes or so, but that’s it. During that time the husks will char and send a sweet vegetal smoke through the corn. When they’re done, the husks will be burnt and you will hear steam hissing inside. You can let them sit for a minute or two and then peel and enjoy; or get some extra grill flavor by peeling back the husks and charring the corn briefly over the fire. Here, we serve the grilled corn with glistening, rose-colored oil, flavored and tinted with grilled tomato. 

Recipe credit and links: Fire It Up (Chronicle Books, 2011), by Andrew Schloss and David Joachim. Reprinted with permission from the publisher.

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