Corn on the cob gets kicked up a spicy notch with this red chili pepper and paprika-infused butter.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cobs sweet corn, in the husks 
• 1⁄4 cup unsalted butter, softened 
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tbsp chopped green onion
• 1/2 tsp minced fresh red chili or jalapeno pepper
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 1/4 tsp smoked paprika 1 lime, quartered 
• Maldon sea salt to taste

DIRECTIONS

1 Heat the barbecue to medium. If there are many tight layers on the cobs, peel the first dark green outer husks from the corn, leaving just a few protective inner layers. Gently peel back the inner layers just far enough to remove the silk without detaching the husks from the cob. Then place the corn in a large bowl of water to soak for 10 minutes. (The water will help prevent the husks from burning and will help keep the corn moist so the kernels steam inside the husks.) 

2 Shaking off the excess water, pull the husks around the corn to enclose the kernels. Place the cobs directly on the grill – but not on the hottest part – and close the lid. Turn the cobs every 5 minutes for about 20 minutes, until lightly charred. The kernels should be tender-crisp but not mushy, with just a few grill marks.

3 While the corn is cooking, mix the butter, cilantro, green onion, chili pepper, lime zest and paprika in a small bowl to make a soft butter.

4 When the corn is cooked, peel back the husks, removing any silk, and slather with the chili lime butter. To serve, squeeze the lime wedges over the corn and sprinkle with the sea salt.

Prep & cook time: 1 hour
Serves: 4

TIP

The secret to grilling fresh-picked corn on the barbecue is a slow cook on low heat, keeping the cobs moist and the kernels juicy with a little smoky flavour. It helps to cook the corn in the husk to protect the delicate kernels.