Friday, September 5, 2008

italian grilled corn

Once again it's Good Food Friday.

Some may confuse Good Food Friday with Good Friday. But there are, if fact, several significant differences. Good Friday occurs only once a year. Good Food Friday occurs once a week (or should occur once a week (Sisters -- hint, hint, wink, wink, nudge nudge)). Good Friday is a religious holiday, for which some people get to take the day off, or enjoy a reduced number of commercials on tv. (This is true, by the way. If you have the audacity to doubt me, read this.) Good Food Friday is a made-up blogging holiday, adopted in part because it gives me one given regular posting topic. It really has few other benefits, except the occasional new recipe. Finally, Good Friday is a day of fasting, whereas Good Food Friday is a day of feasting. Or of celebrating the feast.

With that all cleared up, let me share the following recipe with you. But first, the preface. This recipe is . . . a little unexpected. And considering the unusual list of ingredients, you will think it a miracle that it tastes good. But it really is divine.


Unofficially Sanctioned by the Vatican Italian Grilled Corn

6 ears corn, shucked
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 to 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
About 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
Hot red pepper flakes

Preheat a gas grill or prepare a fire in a gas grill.

Place the corn on the hottest part of the grill and cook for 3 minutes, or until grill marks appear on the first side. Roll each ear over a quarter turn and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, then repeat two more times.

Meanwhile, mix the oil and vinegar on a large flat plate. Spread the Parmigiano on another flat plate.

When the corn is cooked, roll each ear in the oil and vinegar mixture, shake off the extra oil, and dredge in the Parmigiano to coat lightly. Place on a platter, sprinkle with the mint and pepper flakes, and serve immediately.


Did you catch the weird part?

Mint.

On Corn.

I found this recipe online somewhere, and I was so intrigued by the mint/corn combination that I had to try it. I love it when something you think shouldn't work, does.

But I tried this on Monday and absolutely fell in love. So in love, I actually took pictures of it -- a la M.C.D.A. So for once, here is a real picture of actual food cooked by me.

I did omit the red pepper flakes. Cause I'm not into Hot like that. And it was still really really good.

Come on, take a chance. Try something new!

11 comments:

bonnie jack said...

i have 3 ears of corn in the fridge. but no mint. or parmigiano. darn it.

Jenni said...

Mmmm, this recipe sounds good. I have another chicken recipe with a pineapple salsa that includes mint and corn and it is so yummy, so I do not have my doubts regarding this recipe. Plus, how can corn on the cob not be tasty.

Amber said...

You are doing a good job tempting me to be more gourmet. My family is drooling over that picture. Do you grow your own mint so you don't have to dash to the store just for one recipe? Where do I buy parmigiano?

And Jenni, please don't leave us hanging...please send that pineapple salsa recipe.

the lunch lady said...

I agree with Amber -- Jenni, you need to share that recipe.

And Amber, you can get a wedge of Parmesan at your local grocery store. I bought mint, and have extra. You can have some if you want to try this right away. It should be good for a couple more days.

Nanette said...

Sounds interesting!!

Farm Girl said...

Ouch! The insults are FLYING on this Good Food Friday. Shall I enumerate? Yes, of course I shall. 1)Taunting me with tasty fresh food I can not have.
2)Hint, hint, wink, wink, nudge, nudge. Hmph.
3)To the inventor of Good Food Friday you say it has "few benefits" except the "occasional" new recipe? Rude! You are no longer invited to read my recipes. So there. Plthppp.

Sincerely,
Your Dear(est)Sister

the lunch lady said...

Dear Farm Girl,

I meant, in the larger scheme of things there are few benefits -- you won't lose weight, you won't reduce your grocery budget, you won't get your husband to take you out for dinner more often if you are making such wonderful dishes as appear on Good Food Friday. So, it was with tongue in cheek that I spoke few benefits, because, if you were a regular reader of my blog, you would notice that I appear to have an unhealthy obsession with food. and all things related to food. so an occasional new recipe is akin to Christmas, for this Lunch Lady.

You know I love you. And I think everything you do is wonderful.

Please don't disown me.

Your Dearest Sister.

Kate said...

I'm with Farm Girl, I might have to block you from reading my blog on Fridays, since you obviously don't read my GFF posts, because if you did, you would be making all my wonderful recipes all the time, right?.
And I don't know if I will be posting any recipes until sept 29 when loan money arrives, and we can eat more than just pasta. Oh the poor life. here's my recipe for the week:
Food for the poor man:
any kind of pasta
prego sauce
cook pasta, heat up sauce, and combine. voila.

the lunch lady said...

Oh come on now!!!!

I was writing this post mostly for my readers, most of whom do not read your blogs (much to their detriment). So THEY do not have the benefit of all of YOUR scrumptious recipes (except for maybe that pasta recipe you just shared, Kate). Those who are exclusively MY READERS are LIMITED to MY POOR RECIPES. So therefore they have FEW BENEFITS and only the OCCASIONAL NEW recipe.

In the future, I will refer them to YOUR posts -- when you actually POST a recipe. Then their options will be much less limited.

Thanks for not ganging up on me, Nanette.

You are my REAL sister.

Bill said...

oh come on, you know pasta and prego is delicious, and way way better than ramen noodles.

real sister hu, fine, be that way!

Amy said...

Things are beginning to look ugly on the lunch lady blog. Lunch lady, keep the recipes coming. I have a bunch of them lined up ready to try..this corn might be my first attempt. If your sister's don't disown you, I wouldn't mind being directed to their recipes. I collect recipes like some people collect stamps. It's a sickness. Never know when someone will need a meal brought in. :)