Grilled Corn Pesto

To grill the corn:

1. Over medium heat, place the corn (in their husks!) on the grill, directly over the flames. Turn the corn every 2-3 minutes, when the husks begin to blacken. The silk or ends of the husks might catch fire as they dry out. I think this adds an amazing smoky flavor to the corn, but if you’re scared (chicken!), just make sure to trim those bits off before you put them on the grill. (Practice proper safety! Always use long tongs when handling the corn, and keep your digits away from the flame.)

2. When the husks are good and charred and the kernels are mostly cooked, remove the corn from the grill and place it in a pan or bowl you have standing by until it cools down a bit. Carefully peel back and remove the husks, watching out for any trapped hot steam. Place the naked ears (teehee!) back on the grill and turn every 1-2 minutes, or until as many kernels as possible have browned and caramelized. Brown equals sweet flavor!

3. Remove the corn from the grill, and when it is cool enough to handle, cut the kernels from the cob. Once you’ve removed the kernels, scrape the back of your knife along the cob to really get all the creamy corn bits out of there.

To make the pesto:

Blend the corn and all the remaining ingredients in a food processor, minus the olive oil. When the ingredients are well blended, with the food processor running, stream in the olive oil until a thinned out sauce forms. Add enough olive oil until your desired consistency is reached. Serve over pasta, meat, or shredded vegetables.

* Note: You can toast almonds in the oven at 350 degrees F for a few minutes or in a dry pan over low heat. Just cook them until you can smell their oils releasing. I use my toaster oven. It’s fastest.