Give Basic Grilled Corn 20x The Flavor With This Classic Italian Sauce
Some ingredient combinations are like old friends — think ketchup and mayo or chocolate and vanilla — while others (we're looking at you, Midwest fave peanut butter and chili) are a little more out of left field but are no less delicious for it. Many home cooks, for example, would never put sweetcorn and pesto together, but if you do, a taste explosion lies in store. The classic Italian sauce is often swirled with freshly cooked pasta, giving it some earthy, herby oomph. Just as pesto elevates a dish of pasta, this punchy, fragrant herb-based sauce will take sweetcorn to new heights.
What makes this particular pairing really cool is the basil in pesto complements and amplifies the vegetable's natural sweetness, while the olive oil and pine nuts bring complexity and richness. All you really need to do is slather your corn in pesto once it comes off the grill.
Green-fingered home cooks looking at a basil glut thanks to our fertilizer advice might be tempted to make their own pesto. It's worth a try as it's really simple. All you need to do is blitz the leaves with olive oil, garlic, pine nuts, and Parmesan, though some people insist that using the traditional method of a pestle and mortar yields the best results. Your arm muscles will thank you — and nobody's going to know the difference — if you throw it all in a machine.
Cut your pesto with butter to soften the flavor, and don't sleep on all the different varieties
If you're not confident about making your own pesto, remember what Ina Garten always says: "Store bought is fine." While browsing, you might see jars of red pesto on shelves, and wonder what the heck's going on. There are lots of varieties out there, featuring ingredients such as sun-dried tomatoes, almonds, mint, and pistachios. When you're ready to go beyond basil pesto, these alternatives will also give your grilled corn a massive flavor boost, whether brushed on directly or turned into a milder pesto butter.
Basil fans will use the bold herb in everything from salads to sauces, and you can top grilled corn with pesto with additional chopped fresh basil. To make it even more decadent, add a generous amount of grated Parmesan cheese over top. Fresh herbs and Parm will elevate any kind of pesto you choose for your grilled corn!