Campfire Corn with Herb Butter

Roasting brings out the nutty flavor of fresh corn on the cob, and leaving the husks on prevents the delicate kernels from drying out.For an added taste treat, serve the corn with wedges of lemon or lime; the tart citrus flavor complements the sweetness of the corn.

PREP: 15 minutes plus soaking

GRILL: 20 to 30 minutes

MAKES: 6 side-dish servings

6 medium ears corn, with husks and silk

6 (8-inch) pieces kitchen twine

1 medium shallot, minced

3 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon

1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon peel

½ teaspoon salt

118 teaspoons ground black pepper

1. Prepare outdoor grill for direct grilling over medium heat.

2. Gently pull husks three-fourths of way down on each ear of corn; remove silk. In large saucepot, place corn with husks and kitchen twine. Add water to cover; soak for at least 15 minutes. (This helps keep husks from burning on grill.)

3. Meanwhile, in small bowl, stir shallot, butter, parsley, tarragon, lemon peel, salt, and pepper. Let stand at room temperature up to 20 minutes or refrigerate overnight, if you like.

4. Drain corn well. With pastry brush, brush each ear with butter mixture. Pull husks up and, with twine, tie at top of ears.

5. Place corn on hot grill rack. Grill, turning occasionally, until husks are brown and dry and kernels are tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

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EACH SERVING: About 140 calories, 3g protein, 20g carbohydrate, 7g total fat (4g saturated), 16mg cholesterol, 252mg sodium

THE SWEETNESS OF SUMMER CORN

Fresh local corn hits its stride from July through September in most regions. But Florida ships its Supersweets nationwide all year. These have a longer shelf life than other varieties and are better able to withstand travel because their sugar takes longer to turn to starch (approximately ten days from harvest time, as long as the ears are kept well chilled). The Southern Supersweet Corn Council recommends husking and rinsing ears, then storing them in an airtight container or plastic bag in the fridge if you’re not eating them right away.

No matter which variety you buy, look for tightly wrapped, bright-green husks and plentiful, golden-brown tassels at the top that are not dried out. It’s not necessary to pull a husk all the way down to examine the kernels—you can feel for plumpness through the inner husk, or peek under it near the top to make sure there are full rows of kernels. They should be glossy, with no spaces in between.