Grilled Corn on the Cob with Whipped Barbecue Butter

Ah, the wonderful smells of spring and summer...the abundance of fresh fruit and vegetables, does it get any better?  Of course it does!  The aroma of those fresh finds from the Farmer's Market doing their thing on the grill.  It doesn't end there, oh no,  jazz up your bounty and then spoil your self silly enjoying the wonderful tastes with those you love and/or enjoying being around.I found this Bobby Flay recipe some time back and it's a staple during the summer months when fresh corn is plentiful.

Whipped Barbecue Butter:

2 tablespoons Canola oil

1/2 of a small red onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon Ancho chili powder

2 teaspoons Spanish paprika

1 teaspoon toasted cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon cayenne powder

1/2 cup water

1-1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

In a saute pan, heat the oil over high heat until rippling and almost smoking. Add the onion and saute until soft, 1 to 2 minutes, then add in the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds. Sprinkle in the Ancho powder, paprika, cumin seeds and cayenne.  Stir to thoroughly combine and cook for 1 minute. Add the 1/2 cup of water and cook until the mixture becomes thickened and the water reduces. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

Place the butter in a the bowl of a food processor, add the spice mixture and Worcestershire sauce and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, scrape the mixture into a small bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to allow the flavors to marry. Bring to room temperature before serving and spread the butter over the corn while hot.

Grilled Corn:

4 ears corn
Kosher Salt

Heat the grill to medium.

Pull the outer husks down the ear to the base or completely off. Strip away the silk from each ear of corn by hand. If keeping the husks, (which I can't seem to do without ripping them to shreds my family prefers no husks) fold husks back into place and tie the ends together with kitchen string. Place the ears of corn in a large bowl of cold water with 1 tablespoon of salt for 10 minutes.

Remove corn from water and shake off excess. Place the corn on the grill, close the cover and grill for 15 to 20 minutes, turning every 5 minutes, or until kernels are tender or to desired doneness. A.J. we like ours a tad bit on the charred side.

Now, go forth and grill some produce!