First Corn of the Season!

Tonight, my produce guy hooked me up with the first corn of the season, sweet white corn. I whipped up a quick batch of cilantro lime butter, smeared it all over, and threw those babies on the grill. The result is, of course, resplendent.

4-5 ears corn, husked and cleaned
1 lime
1 bu cilantro
1/2 stick butter
3 cloves garlic
1t ground cumin
1/2t ground coriander
1/2 jalapeno, seeded

Wash the cilantro and place with the butter, garlic, cumin, coriander, and jalapeno into the bowl of your food processer. Zest the lime into the bowl and then squeeze the juice in after. Pulse until uniform in texture, but stop before it is a puree. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Spread over the corn liberally and wrap in aluminium foil. Place on a medium grill and turn every few minutes until the corn has roasted brown in places and cooked through.

Baby Artichokes

1 container (~1lb) fresh baby artichokes, cut in quarters
1T capers
1T caper brine
2T olive oil
Salt and Pepper
1 1/2 c red and yellow cherry tomatoes, cleaned and halved.
3 cloves garlic, minced
1c chicken stocks
salt and pepper

In large sautee pan, over medium heat, add the garlic, artichokes, tomatoes, salt and pepper, capers, and caper brine. Sautee until aroma is released from garlic and artichokes begin to look a little brown and cooked around the edges. Season with salt and pepper and add the stock. Cover and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 12 minutes, or until broth is evaporated. Taste and fix seasoning, serve.

Note on cleaning artichokes: after rinsing them under cold water, cut the tail off, about 1/2" before it starts (into the bulb). Next, cut off 2/3" off the spiky end so no leaf tips are left on the artichoke. Finally, remove outer leaves, so that only the heart remains.

Alternative version: add pesto or romesco with the capers in the beginning.