Corn Sauté with Fresh Ginger, Garlic and Cilantro

We’re not doing ourselves any favors by cooking things the same way every day. Just sayin’.

I know… It’s comfortable, easier and faster. At least it seems easier and faster because we’re so used to “the way we always do it,” that we can almost do it in our sleep.

We’ve been grilling fresh corn on the cob the same way all summer long: We cut the silks off the top, remove half the husks, and snap off the stem if there is one. Then, depending on timing, we either pop it in the microwave on High for 5 – 10 minutes to kick-start the cooking process, or we just toss it right on the grill and let it cook to perfection. No butter. No oil. No salt. Just plain delicious sweet corn on the cob with a hint of grilled flavor… Pure, fresh, sweet summer corn heaven.

And then this happened. (Sorry, Honey, you’re going to have to deal with grilling other vegetables for a while…)

Corn + Ginger. How is it that we’ve never tried this combination before?

It just had to happen. Partially because I had a beautiful chunk of fresh ginger – and every other ingredient in this recipe – in my refrigerator. And, because there’s no way you can ignore the call when something speaks to your taste buds before you’ve even stepped into the kitchen. Don’t even try to resist. Just go eat your vegetables, sweetie!

A few notes to contemplate on your way:

• In our kitchen, when things call for garlic we almost always double the amount because we really love garlic! If you don’t love garlic as much as we do, use a little less. The garlic in this dish isn’t overpowering, rather it seems to round everything out really nicely.

• The same goes for the ginger. Just know that the fabulous pairing of ginger and sweet corn here is nothing short of brilliant and delicious on every level, so please use a good amount.

• Not into cilantro? Sorry… I know people either like it or they don’t, and there isn’t much room for discussion between the two extremes. Parsley also works beautifully if you’d rather use that.

• Add a teaspoon of fresh lime zest if you want to brighten the flavors even more – especially if you’re using parsley instead of cilantro.

• Regarding the Serrano chile: Please don’t be afraid if you don’t like “spicy” dishes. We always use a whole chile in this recipe and it’s never too much. It just adds pleasant, subtle warmth to the dish.

• Fresh versus frozen corn: Of course you can use frozen corn. But fresh is just… Fresher! And I know there’s a lot of debate over the easiest methods of cutting corn off the cob, but I think we’ve come up with the easiest way to do it WITHOUT having to dirty a bunch of additional dishes in the process. More dirty dishes is never a good thing. So, please do take advantage of fresh corn when it’s available. And cut it off the cob like this. {I know… It just seems so simple and obvious now, doesn’t it?}

• One more corn-tastic note: When you cut fresh corn off the cob, it’s generally a good idea to scrape the cob with the back of your knife to get the fresh corn juice out of the cob as well. However, depending on how I’m serving this dish, I’ll use the kernels sans juice because it’s cleaner looking. It’s delicious both ways. But, if you’re serving this as a “salsa” with fish, for example, you might want to skip the scrape and just go with clean kernels. If you’re serving it as a side with thick-cut grilled pork chops and potatoes, then make sure to get every last bit of juice out of the cob and add it to the mix. {Yes, yes, I do tend to over-analyzing details like this, but it really does make a difference!}

• Enjoy as a “salsa” or side dish with:

-Roasted or grilled fish (such as halibut or cobia) on a bed of Romaine lettuce

-Grilled or baked chicken with brown rice or baked potatoes

-Grilled pork chops or pork roast and grilled or garlic mashed potatoes

-Pork or chicken tacos and Cilantro Lime Yogurt Sauce

• If you’re planning on sharing this at a picnic or barbecue, double the recipe. At least. You’ll be surprised at how quickly it disappears.

Print

Corn Sauté with Fresh Ginger, Garlic & Cilantro

This is a surprisingly delicious little dish filled with bright, fresh flavors. It’s an excellent side dish for grilled or roasted fish, chicken or pork, or as a salsa over soft shell tacos. It’s a great way to bring “summer” to the table any time of year!

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Servings 2 - 4

Author Michele Phillips, BaconFatte.com

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup scallions thinly sliced & divided
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger minced
• 2 - 3 tablespoons fresh garlic minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh serrano chile seeds/ribs removed & minced
• 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped & divided
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime zest optional
• ½ - 1 teaspoon kosher salt to taste
• 2 heaping cups fresh corn kernels 3 - 4 ears
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice about of one half lime
• Fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Chop and prep all fresh ingredients.
2. In a large pan, add the 2 tablespoons of the butter and melt over medium heat.
3. When butter is melted, add ¾ cup of the scallions (reserving the rest for garish), ginger, garlic,
4. serrano chile, and 1 tablespoon of cilantro (reserving the rest for garnish), lime zest, and salt. Sauté these ingredients, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes.
5. Add corn kernels and lime juice, and continue sautéing all ingredients for an additional 2 - 3 minutes. All ingredients should be lightly cooked with bright colors and some crunch.
6. Taste. Add salt if needed and a few grinds of fresh cracked pepper, and give it all a final stir before spooning it into a serving bowl. Garnish with remaining scallions and cilantro. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe Notes

Enjoy as a “salsa” or side dish with:
-Roasted or grilled fish (such as halibut or cobia) on a bed of Romaine lettuce
-Grilled or baked chicken with brown rice or baked potatoes
-Grilled pork chops or pork roast and grilled or garlic mashed potatoes
-Pork or chicken tacos and Cilantro Lime Yogurt Sauce

We’d love to hear what other variations you come up with and how you’ve served this dish! Let us know by commenting here on the blog and make sure to hashtag #baconfatte or tag @baconfatte on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter, and Google+ when you try this recipe. Thanks for visiting BaconFatte.com!

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