"Southern Style" Crispy Pork Belly Cubano Sandwich with Ham, Smoked Swiss, Homemade Garlic Aioli, + Green Tomato Pickles on Grilled Bread

"Southern Style" Crispy Pork Belly Cubano Sandwich with Ham, Smoked Swiss,
Homemade Garlic Aioli, + Green Tomato Pickles on Grilled Bread

Raise your hand if you love Cuban Sandwiches! I'm raising my hand, and y'all should be too. They damn good delicious. Why are they so mouth watering-ly "cravable", you ask. Well, they have two kinds of pork products... typically ham and roast pork. I made it a tad bit gourmet by adding crispy pork belly because pork belly is the leader of all porky products. Add in some smoked swiss cheese, sweet + tangy green tomato pickles (god love the south), mustard, and a homemade garlic aioli. You load all of the goodness onto a cuban baguette that has be schmeared with lots 'o butter and grill it until crispy and the cheese is oozy. I love that the crispy pork belly gives the sandwich some bites of almost fried pork rind puffiness... chicharrones anyone? I know most of y'all don't live in the South and might not be able to find green tomato pickles. That's okay. You can make your own at home, like we do, or just buy some regular 'ole pickles at the store. And as for the smoked swiss, which can be difficult to find, that can be substituted for just aged swiss instead. OH HEY, and don't forget to go heavy on the mustard and mayo, y'all!! Enjoy :)

For the Homemade Garlic Aioli:

1 Egg Yolk

1t White Vinegar

1 ½t Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

¼t Dijon Mustard & Sugar

2 Garlic Cloves, Finely Minced

1 Head of Roasted Garlic, Cooled & Garlic Pulp Only

½t Garlic Salt

¾C Canola Oil

For the Crispy Pork Belly Cubano Sandwiches:

1 Baguette of French Bread, Sliced Lengthwise

Yellow Mustard & Homemade Garlic Aioli, For Spreading

Cubes of Crispy Pork Belly

Thinly Sliced Black Forrest Ham

Slices of Aged or Smoked Swiss Cheese

Green Tomato Pickle Slices

Softened Butter, For Grilling

Directions:

1. For the Homemade Garlic Aioli: Combine egg yolk, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, minced garlic, roasted garlic pulp, and ½t salt in medium bowl. Whisk until blended and bright yellow, about 30 seconds. Using ¼t measuring spoon and whisking constantly, add ¼C of the oil to yolk mixture, a few drops at a time, about 4-5 minutes. Gradually add remaining ½C canola oil in very slow thin stream, whisking constantly, until mayonnaise is thick, about 8-10 minutes (mayonnaise will be lighter in color). Season the mayo with sugar, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to use.

2. For the Crispy Pork Belly Cubano Sandwiches: Slice open the baguette bread down the middle. On the topside of the bread spread on some mustard and on the other side spread on some garlic aioli, evenly across. And then place 4 green tomato pickles on top of the mustard. You then place some sliced of Swiss cheese on top of the pickles, followed by the sliced ham and crispy pork belly. You then join both halves of the sandwich. You are now ready to grill your Cuban sandwich.

3. Grilling the Sandwich: Use a sandwich grill if you have one, a waffle iron if not. Spread butter on top of the bread evenly. Close the grill, smashing the sandwich. Leave sandwich in the grill until top of bread turns to a golden brown, and top is crisp. Approximate time is 4 to 6 minutes. After the sandwich is crispy and the cheese has melted, remove the sandwich carefully and slice it diagonally, from corner to corner.

Margarita Charred Corn Confetti Salsa

Margarita Charred Corn Confetti Salsa

OMG Y'ALL, this is summer in a bowl. Fa'real here. Summer Checklist: Margaritas (check), grilled food (check), fresh corn (check), and fresh peppers, cilantro, and red onion (check). Oh and don't forget the agave syrup... that really ties in the classic margarita flavors, including the tequila, lime juice, and sea salt. And let's be honest, it looks like a party. Who wants a party in their mouth? This girl does. It's pretty much a 50/50 ratio between the charred corn and mix of peppers, just the way we like it. The salsa is full of texture (and color of course) that comes from the sweet summer corn, fire roasted peppers, raw onions, candied jalapenos, and crunchy bell pepper. So much so, that it practically sings a summer anthem to you while you eat. But to top it all off, the flavor is rounded off with real mexican tequila and you can't (and shouldn't) miss it! It's just enough to give it that "je ne sais quoi" quality. Oh and if you are feeling a little sentimental, check out my recipe for "It's Five O'clock Somewhere" Spiked Guacamole. Serve it along side some hot tortilla chips, and heck, why not some shooters of tequila as well?! Okay, well maybe a marg will be justtttttt fine as well!! Enjoy :)

party in a bowl.

For the Confetti Salsa:

6 Large Ears of Fresh Corn

2 Large Poblanos

Olive Oil, Cajun Seasoning, & Chili Powder (enough to coat the corn and poblanos)

3 Red Jalapenos, Seeded & Minced

1 Orange Bell Pepper, Finely Chopped

¼C Candied Jalapenos, Minced

Half of a Large Red Onion, Minced

3-4 Large Cloves of Garlic, Minced

1 Bunch of Fresh Cilantro, Finely Chopped

1-2 Juicy Limes, Zested & Juiced

2T Red Wine Vinegar

3-4T Agave Syrup

2T Cold Tequila

1t Cumin & Coriander

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

Directions:

1. Grilling the Corn & Poblanos: Get your grill cranked up as high as it can go, so that you can char the corn and poblanos to achieve some color, but not overcooking the vegetables. While your grill is getting hot, rub down the ears of corn and whole poblanos with some olive oil, Cajun seasoning, and chili powder until they are completely coated and seasoned. Place the rubbed corn and poblanos onto the hot grill and cook until the corn is charred and the poblanos are blackened. Remove them from the grill and allow the corn to cool and place the peppers into a plastic bag to steam for 15 minutes. After they have sat, peel the peppers from their blackened skin, so that only the flesh remain. Remove the seeds and dice into small pieces. Using a sharp knife to cut off the kernels from the cob and place into a mixing bowl.

2. For the Salsa: Combine all of the ingredients together, seasoning the salsa to taste. Toss to combine and refrigerate until chilled. 

3. Enjoy with some tortilla chips!

Summer Staples : Mexican Marinated Flank Steak with Candied Jalapeno Chimichurri

Mexican Marinated Flank Steak with Candied Jalapeno Chimichurri 

We love any kind of steak. It has to be cooked perfectly and seasoned perfectly. I love any kinda cut of red meat, but each one needs to be treated accordingly. For flank or skirt steak, it is crucial that they are marinated overnight in either a heavy spice rub or a flavorful wet mixture. My go-to marinade involves soy sauce, lime juice, chipotle pepper in adobo, worcestershire, fresh garlic, and lots of herbs + spices. It's awesome. And something we utilize often, like weekly, in our house. Nothing is better than a perfectly grilled or charred flank steak that is cooked to the perfect temperature. We like it medium rare with the prettiest hot pink center. It's mouth-watering honestly. But, I know how we all work, and we don't just want any 'ole steak (though amazing on its' own), it's gotta go over-the-top. And that's where my Candied Jalapeno Chimichurri comes into play. It's the bomb y'all. It's herby, spicy, sweet, & the perfect compliment to some steak. I love the candied jalapeno component, butofcourse. I adds an unbelievable sweetness, but balances perfectly against the spice + herbs. The chimichurri is a MUST. Don't get it twisted and make this STAT. Enjoy :)

Candied Jalapeno Chimichurri 

For the Mexican Marinated Flank Steak:

1/3C Soy Sauce

½C Olive Oil

1/3C Fresh Lime Juice

2 Limes, Zested

1 Chipotle Pepper in Adobo

¼C Worcestershire Sauce

4 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

1T Garlic Powder

3T Dried Oregano

1 ½T Fresh Cilantro, Minced

1t Pepper + Ground Cumin

¼t Red Pepper Flakes

1 Large Flank Steak

For the Chimichurri Sauce:

1C Fresh Parsley, Minced

1C Fresh Cilantro, Minced

1-2T Dried Oregano

½t Red Pepper Flakes

1 Shallot, Minced

¼-½C Candied Jalapenos, Finely Chopped  

4 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

2T Roasted Red Pepper, Minced

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

Directions:

1. For the Mexican Marinated Flank Steak: Place the soy sauce, olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, and all of the seasonings in a blender. Blend on high speed for 30 seconds or until thoroughly mixed. Pour the marinade over the flank steak. Cover and refrigerate for 8-12 hours. Before cooking, remove the meat from the marinade and let it come to room temperature for an hour. Once it has come to room temperature, dry the marinated meat completely by wiping it with paper towels. Sprinkle the steak with salt and pepper. Heat a large pan or griddle over high heat and grease it with a little oil. Cook the meat for roughly 3 minutes on each side for a medium rare steak. Once it has cooked, remove it to a cutting board and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. After resting, slice the meat against the grain into thin slices.

2. For the Chimichurri Sauce: Finely chop the parsley, fresh cilantro, garlic, shallot, and candied jalapenos (or process in a food processor several pulses). Place in a small bowl. Stir in the olive oil, herbs, spices, vinegar, salt, pepper, minced red pepper, and red pepper flakes. Adjust seasonings. Serve immediately drizzled over the marinated steak.   

Summer Staples : Grilled Artichokes with Homemade Roasted Garlic-Lemon Aioli

Grilled Artichokes with Homemade Roasted Garlic-Lemon Aioli

I had never had grilled artichokes until I up & decided to make these for dinner one night. I don't know what inspired me to do this, but I just found myself drawn to them while at Whole Foods. Why hadn't I made these before? Crazy talk. I should whip these up every weekend. I feel that if you are going to hassle yourself to heat up the grill (and submit your body to the hot, humid heat of the South), then you might as well get a full meal outta it... appetizer included. The most complicated part of the recipe is cleaning + prepping the artichokes. But let's be honest, I'll take preparing the artichokes in a cold kitchen, instead of running an oven for an hour. You've got to think of these kinds of things when you live down south like we do. For instance, how do I get from Point A (prepping) to Point B (dinner) without having to take a cold shower or having to put my shirt over the standing fan, which practically turns myself into that scary, huge marshmallow man/thing/godzilla from Ghostbusters. Please tell me someone else does this because if not, I should probably claim truth by omission. Also, am I the only one who firmly believes on turning other rooms of the house into a secondary kitchen? My Mountain Man always finds this so odd, but I think it's essential to summer staple cooking. You can find me on any given night, prepping dinner in the living room. Weird, I know, but I set up about 3 cutting boards, with multiple bowls, cooking utensils, and a trash can, just so that I can watch T.V. while getting dinner ready at the same time, in front of the coldest fan we got. Don't judge me, I am only human. After the artichokes are all ready, plop them in a a pot of boiling water, just to get them started. Once the pre-cooking is done, I covered them in olive oil, lemon juice, and a bunch of chopped herbs and tossed them onto the grill for a good char. I absolutely love the smokey taste that the artichokes pick up, and then when it's paired with a trio of homemade aioli's... you're in southern summer heaven. There is something so relaxing about picking apart the artichokes and peeling off the flesh with the back of your teeth. Homemade aioli takes it over the top by providing a wonderfully, creamy element. I was partial to my Roasted Garlic-Lemon Aioli for dipping, but also served some truffle aioli and sriracha aioli as well. But it's all up to you, any creamy sauce would be great with these grilled artichokes, trust me!! Enjoy :)

prepping the artichokes (in the living room, yep).

toss 'em the grill

that's a good char right there.

perfectly smokey 

drizzle with a little more olive oil + lemon juice and finish some more fresh herbs

Whip up the Homemade Roasted Garlic-Lemon Aioli.

And if you wanna feel fancy like us, serve a trio of homemade aioli's.

oh yeah, this shit is gonna be good.

REAL good.

For the Homemade Roasted Garlic-Lemon Aioli:

1 Egg Yolk

1t White Vinegar

1 ½t Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice

¼t Dijon Mustard & Sugar

1 Garlic Clove, Minced into a Paste (with a little bit of sea salt)

1 Head of Roasted Garlic, Cooled & Garlic Pulp Only

½t Salt

¾C Canola Oil

Freshly Grated Lemon Zest (to taste, we used a lot for a strong lemon flavor)

For the Grilled Artichokes:

2 Large Globe Artichokes

1 Lemon, Cut into Wedges

¼C Olive Oil

1T Fresh Herbs, Chopped (we used a mixture of rosemary, thyme, oregano, & dried basil)

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

Directions:

1. For the Homemade Roasted Garlic-Lemon Aioli: Combine egg yolk, lemon juice, vinegar, mustard, minced garlic, roasted garlic pulp, and ½t salt in medium bowl. Whisk until blended and bright yellow, about 30 seconds. Using ¼t measuring spoon and whisking constantly, add ¼C of the oil to yolk mixture, a few drops at a time, about 4-5 minutes. Gradually add remaining ½C canola oil in very slow thin stream, whisking constantly, until mayonnaise is thick, about 8-10 minutes (mayonnaise will be lighter in color). Season the mayo with freshly grated lemon zest, sugar, salt, and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to use.
2. Prepping the Artichokes: Place chopped herbs in a small bowl, cover with olive oil. Microwave on high heat for 30 seconds (or heat oil and herbs on the stove top until warm). Let the herbs seep in the warm olive oil while you prepare the artichokes. Prepare a large pot with an inch of water at the bottom and a steamer rack. Prepare the artichokes. Have lemon wedges ready. If you want a nice presentation, use scissors to snip away the pointy tips of the artichoke leaves. As you trim the artichokes, rub the cut areas with juice from the lemon wedges to prevent the artichokes from turning brown from oxidation. Use a vegetable peeler to cut away the thick outer layer of the artichoke stems. Trim the stems to 2 inches from the base of the artichoke. Cut off and discard the top ½inch of the artichokes. Cut the artichokes in half. Use a strong metal spoon to scoop out the fuzzy chokes and the small inner artichoke leaves. Rub lemon juice all over the inside and exposed cut areas of the artichokes. Heat the water in the large pot with a steamer rack on high. When it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium high and place the artichoke halves, cut side down on the steam rack. Cover. Steam for 20 minutes (less of more, depending on the size of the artichokes), until you can easily pull off the outer leaves, and you can pierce the heart easily with a knife.
3. Grilling the Artichokes: Prepare your grill for direct, high heat. Use a pastry brush to brush the artichoke all over with the herb infused oil. Sprinkle all over with salt. Place the artichoke halves cut-side-down on the grill grates. Cover, and grill for 5 to 10 minutes, until you have nice grill mark on the cut sides of the artichokes.
4. Serving the Grilled Artichokes: Remove the artichokes from the grill once they have achieved a good char. Finish by drizzling a little more olive oil and lemon juice over them. Fresh herbs are also a nice touch right before serving. Accompany the dish with your homemade Roasted Garlic-Lemon Aioli, as well as any other dipping sauce. We had a trio of aioli’s… roasted garlic-lemon, Sriracha, and truffle.

source: grilled artichokes.

Summer Staples : Grilled Romaine Caesar Salad with Homemade Creamy Caesar Dressing, Bacon Lardons, Grilled Croutons, Shaved Shallots, Slow Roasted Tomatoes, & Fresh Parmesan

Grilled Romaine Caesar Salad with Homemade Creamy Caesar Dressing, Bacon Lardons,
Grilled Croutons, Shaved Shallots, Slow Roasted Tomatoes, & Fresh Parmesan

A salad is the perfect compliment to any summer meal. Especially when it's grilled. Trust me, I was skeptical too when I heard about grilled romaine lettuce. Would it become extremely soggy? Would it just burst into flames? Would I hate it? Well, none of those things happened, especially now that we consider ourselves grill masters. The grilled caesar salad was awesome and will be a go-to for any cookout meal! The romaine, if cooked right, becomes charred around the edges, but still crisp + fresh on the inside. To really take your Caesar salad over the top, you gotta make your own. Our version is top notch and packs a big punch. But it's creaminess really takes over and pairs perfectly with smoky bacon, sweet tomatoes, shaved shallots, and grilled croutons. I pretty much live by the motto of grill everything + anything now. We absolutely loved the crouton shards... just get some slices of good, crusty bread, brush them with some olive oil, and charr them on the grill until really toasted. All you have to go is cut them into cubes of long strips. We preferred the strips because you can dip them into the dressing and top them with all the goodies and almost make a caesar salad bruschetta. Best. Idea. Ever. I lurve all the flavors and how perfectly they compliment each other. So go on y'all... grill everything that you can get your hands on!! Enjoy :)

Grilled bread about to be turned into Grilled Croutons... 

Romaine Lettuce, Hot Off the Grill

For the Creamy Caesar Dressing:

3 Large Cloves of Garlic, Finely Minced

1T Anchovy Paste

2T Freshly Squeezed Lemon Juice + 1t Lemon Zest

2t Dijon Mustard

1t Worcestershire Sauce

1C Homemade Aioli or Mayo

2/3C Freshly Grated Parmesan

Salt & Pepper, To Taste (as well as some sugar for balance)

For the Grilled Romaine:

3-4 Romaine Hearts, Split Lengthwise

3T Olive Oil

1T Red Wine Vinegar

1T Fresh Chopped Herbs (I used basil, parsley, thyme, & rosemary)

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

For the Grilled Caesar Salad:

Prepared Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing, Refrigerated

Grilled Romaine Heart Halves

Crispy Bacon Lardons

Slow Roasted Tomatoes or Sun Dried Tomatoes, Roughly Chopped

1 Large Shallot, Thinly Shaved

Slices of Thick Country Bread, Drizzled with Oil & Grilled until Crispy

Shaved Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

1. For the Creamy Caesar Salad Dressing: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the first five ingredients. Next, add in the mayo and grated Parmesan. Season the dressing with salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.

2. For the Grilled Romaine: Prep the romaine hearts—pull off any old leaves. Chop off the top 1 or 2 inches of the lettuce head, and shave off the browned part of the root end, leaving the root end intact so that the lettuce head stays together. Prepare your grill for high, direct heat. Paint the lettuce hearts all over with the vinaigrette. Prepare the vinaigrette. Put the oil, vinegar, herbs, salt and pepper in a small bowl and whisk with a fork to combine. Grill the romaine hearts until lightly browned on all sides, turning every minute or two until done.

3. For the Grilled Caesar Salad: Place the hearts onto a serving platter. Drizzle the top of the romaine with some of the chilled Caesar dressing. Scatter across the crispy bacon lardons, tomatoes of your choice, shaved shallots, Parmesan cheese, & cubes of grilled country bread. Season with a little salt and pepper.

4. Serve immediately!

BBQ Pulled Pork Tacos with Cheerwine-Chipotle Pulled Pork, Tangy Apple Coleslaw, & Pickled Red Onions

BBQ Pulled Pork Tacos with Cheerwine-Chipotle Pulled Pork, Tangy Apple Coleslaw, & Pickled Red Onions

Can y'all believe how fast Summer has flown by? I mean I realize that it's still Summer, but I mean it's almost over. I love Summer, but I've always been an Autumn girl myself. I just love everything about it. Especially the food. So, I really can't wait for October to get here and I can get to makin' those seasonal dishes. But, nonetheless, it's still Summer and hot as hell. It reached about 105 degrees last week, but luckily for us, Savannah has had a long afternoon shower every day this week. So, it's finally cooled off to the low 90's. And you know what I crave when it's hot outside? Tacos. Lots and lots of them. They are like the ultimate Summertime food for me. And the variations are endless. I mean I can just sit at home and think of a million different taco combinations & toppings. I think we actually might make some Asian-inspired ones this weekend. Haven't really decided on that, but leaning towards it. Well these are made with BBQ pulled pork and they are just so tender and juicy. I used the Pioneer Woman's spicy pop pulled pork as my recipe, but instead of using Dr. Pepper, I used a Southern favorite, Cheerwine. Cheerwine is like a really good cherry coke, and it used to only be sold in South Carolina, but it's spread all over the South now. After the pork was cooked & shredded, I tossed it in my favorite BBQ Sauce, and it was perfect. Then, I knew that I just had to make a killer slaw to top the meat off. I sat there thinking, what goes good with pork? Apple. Pork + Apples are perfect together. Why not a tangy apple slaw? It was perfect. I loved this slaw. And I think it would be a great side at a cookout or barbecue. It's crispy, sweet, sour, and everything spicy & nice. Also, it's not covered or slammed in a heavy mayo dressing, but a like olive oil vinaigrette. That just screams Summer even more to me. I had to make some pickled red onions to put on the tacos because I just love them with pork. Of course, we loaded ours up with a bunch of different components... guacamole, salsa, crumbled queso fresco, and a touch of my Alabama White BBQ Sauce that I made for our Beer Can Chicken. These tacos were hearty, yet refreshing, and perfect for a dinner out in our garden!! Enjoy :)

For the Pickled Red Onions:

2 Medium Red Onions, Thinly Sliced

1 ½C White Vinegar

½C Sugar

½ Cinnamon Stick, 5 Cloves, 1 Bay Leaf, 1 Star Anise

¼t Red Pepper Flakes  

For the Vinaigrette:

1T Dijon Mustard

3T Red Wine Vinegar

1t Salt

½C Olive Oil

For the Tangy Apple Coleslaw:

Prepared Vinaigrette

½C Pickled Red Onions

2 Jalapenos, Seeded & Thinly Sliced

¼C Fresh Cilantro, Chopped

3 Green Onions, Finely Sliced

2C Green Apples, Shredded

2C Coleslaw Mix

For the Cheerwine-Chipotle Pulled Pork:

1 Large Vidalia onion, Cut into Wedges

1 Pork Butt (between 5-7lbs)

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

11oz Chipotle Peppers in Adobo

16oz Cheerwine Soda

2T Brown Sugar

For the Pulled Pork Tacos:

Prepared Cheerwine-Chipotle Pulled Pork

Barbeque Sauce

Prepared Tangy Apple Coleslaw

Crumbled Cotija Cheese, Fresh Lime, Salsa, Guacamole, Cilantro, & Any Other Toppings

Directions:

1. For the Cheerwine-Chipotle Pulled Pork: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Place the onion wedges into the bottom of a large Dutch oven. Generously season the pork with salt & pepper. Place the pork on top of the onions. In a small bowl, gently whisk together the chipotle peppers in adobo, brown sugar, and Cheerwine until mixed and the sugar is dissolved. Pour this mixture over the pork. Place the lid on tightly and cook the meat for roughly 5-7 hours depending on how big your pork butt is (make sure the turn the roast 2-3 times during the cooking process). The meat should fall apart easily and be able to be pulled with two forks. If it isn’t return the pork to the oven for another hour. Remove the meat from the pot and place onto a cutting board. Using two forks shred the meat into pieces, making sure to discard the fat (strain the fat off the top of the cooking liquid). Return the shredded pork to the cooking liquid and keep warm until ready to serve.

2. For the Pickled Red Onions: Blanch the thinly sliced red onions in a saucepan of boiling water for 2 minutes, and then drain them in a colander. In a pot, combine the vinegar, sugar, and spices and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, add the blanched, drained onions into Mason jar. Once the vinegar mixture has cooked, pour it into the jar of onions, making sure they are all covered. Allow the jar come to room temperature and then refrigerate until cool and pink in color.

3. For the Vinaigrette: In a bowl, combine the mustard, vinegar, and salt. Slowly whisk in the olive oil until well blended. Set it aside.

4. For the Tangy Apple Coleslaw: In a mixing bowl, combine pickled red onions, sliced jalapenos, fresh cilantro, green onions, shredded green apples, and coleslaw mix. Toss until the ingredients are all combined. Add the vinaigrette and toss to coat the ingredients. Season with salt & pepper. Cover and refrigerate the coleslaw until you are ready to put on the tacos.

5. Place some of the pulled pork on a flour tortilla, and then top them with the tangy apple coleslaw, pickled red onions, and any other toppings that you like. Enjoy. 

"Mexican Style" Corn on the Cob

Corn is just the perfect summer side. You can make creamed corn, sauteed corn, succotash, cornbread, or just simple corn on the cob. Well, this corn on the cob ain't simple folks. Mexican Style Corn on the Cob is becoming really popular right now, and I know why... it's absolutely delicious. From the food carts in Mexico, corn is grilled or cooked and then covered in mayo, chili powder, cheese, cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. I decided to put my little spin on it by making a flavorful slathering mixture packed with cheese, spices, and other yummy goodies. I roasted the corn in the oven, but now looking back, I would definitely char it on the grill for some beautiful color and smoky flavor. After the corn is cooked through, spread the mixture on the ears of corn and top it with some crumbled Queso Fresco, a sprinkling of chili powder and fresh minced cilantro, and finally a squeeze of fresh lime. This was the perfect side dish of our Beer Can Chicken, but would really go well with any summer meal!! Enjoy :)

"Mexican Style" Corn on the Cob

This is yummy summer food, y'all!!

For the Mexican Grilled Corn:

4 Large Ears of Fresh Corn

4T Sour Cream

4T Mayo

1 Lime, Zested

½C Cotija Cheese, Crumbled

¼C Pecorino or Parmesan Cheese, Shredded

2T Cilantro, Minced (plus extra for garnishing)

2 Cloves of Garlic, Minced

1t Chile Powder (plus extra for sprinkling)

¼t Cumin, Cayenne, & Onion Powder

Salt & Pepper, To Taste

Queso Fresco, For Garnishing

Lime Wedges, For Squeezing

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and brush the corn lightly with butter.
2. Roast the corn for 20-30 minutes.
3. While the corn is roasting, make the coating mixture. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayo, and lime zest until smooth. Add in the Cotija, Pecorino, minced cilantro, minced garlic, and spices. Stir until incorporated and combined.
4. After the corn has roasted and cooked through, remove from the oven and immediately slather with the mayo mixture until completely coated.
5. Garnish each corn on the cob with Queso Fresco, chile powder, fresh minced cilantro, and a squeeze of lime.
6. Enjoy immediately while still warm.