SWEETCORN

ROASTED CORN WITH CHILLI AND LIME PEANUT BUTTER

Although a simple pleasure, devouring corn on the cob is often best done when alone – it’s not one of those things to invite spectators with all those delicious squirty kernels. Corn will never taste the same again (and probably peanut butter also) once you’ve introduced them to each other with the intervention of a surprising but pleasant jolt of chilli and cumin heat. One caveat – it must be crunchy peanut butter, nothing else will do.

PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes | COOKING TIME: 25 minutes | SERVES: 6

6 corncobs with husks

2 small red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped

grated zest of 2 plump limes

² /₃ cup (185 g/6 oz) crunchy peanut butter, softened

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F (fan 180°C/350°F).

Pull back the cornhusks without breaking them and remove the silky strands. Soak the corncobs in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl, combine the chillies, lime zest, peanut butter, garlic and cumin and smear generously over the drained corncobs. Rewrap the corn husks around the cobs and secure them with string if necessary. Arrange the cobs in a roasting pan and bake for 15–20 minutes, turning a couple of times until the corn is tender and the husks are scorched.

Serve with wedges of the limes used for zesting.

TIP Fresh corncobs quickly lose their sweetness if left at room temperature for too long. It’s important to keep them refrigerated until just before you are ready to use them.