Zippy Grilled Corn

 
LUCY BURDETTE: I introduced you to Paseo Restaurant in Key West last spring, when I shared a homemade version of their Caribbean grilled chicken salad. Last week, after describing another of their specialties in my draft of MURDER WITH GANACHE, I got a strong hankering to try to replicate their grilled corn. Of course, I didn't have their recipe, but I could look at the online menu and see how it was described and look at the photos.

And then I checked out Bobby Flay's recipe for grilled corn. And then I experimented with two ways of cooking it--first stripping two ears, slathering with sauce, and wrapping with foil. Second, I stripped the husks back on two ears without detaching them, cleaned out the silk, and then grilled the ears in their husk wraps.

4 ears of corn

3-4 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp olive oil
grated fresh Parmesan cheese
3 Tbsp minced fresh cilantro
1/2-1 tsp smoked paprika
salt and pepper
1/2 lime


 Mash all the ingredients together. You may of course feel free to add other seasonings that appeal to you.



For corn grilled in its husk, strip the outer husks to the bottom without removing them from the stalk. Clean off the silk. Pull the husks back up over the corn and soak for 10 to 20 minutes. 

If you are grilling corn wrapped in foil, simply remove husks and silk. I did soak this corn too, but not sure this step is necessary.


With both methods, slather the corn with the butter mixture and then rewrap in husks (tie them off with a strip of husk) or foil.














Grill on medium heat for 15-20 minutes, then enjoy! We rated the taste to be very similar with the two methods. So next time I think I would stick with the easier foil wrap.

Lucy's Key West food critic mysteries can be found wherever books are sold! Follow Lucy on Twitter and "like" her on Facebook.

Caribbean Salad a la Paseo

** Due to a disaster involving Cleo's altercation with an avocado cake, Lucy will step in today for Cleo. Cleo will reveal all on Lucy's usual Thursday!**

 
LUCY BURDETTE: Even Kenny Chesney said it when he performed at a free concert at the Hogs Breath Saloon a couple of weeks ago: It's hard to choose healthy foods in Key West! (Actually, I don't think it's only Key West--it's eating out everywhere.) 

Anyway, there's a new restaurant in town that used to be the Paradise Cafe, where we bought our Cafe Con Leche in the morning and our Cuban mix sandwiches at lunch. It's now called Paseo.

Hayley is going to review this restaurant in the book I'm currently writing, MURDER WITH GANACHE (2/2014). Of course she has to order a little of everything, including the fat and juicy Caribbean roll and the roast pork dinner. But I always enjoy the Caribbean salad so I decided to try making the dish myself. It's not only colorful and healthy and easy--it's delicious!

Caribbean Salad a la Paseo

2-3 skinned chicken filets
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp sesame oil
4 Tbsp soy sauce

Lettuce
Red cabbage, shredded
Cooked beets, slivered
Cilantro, cleaned and chopped
Avocado
Tomato

Mix together the sugar, sesame oil, and soy sauce, and marinate the chicken filets in a glass bowl--an hour at least or even overnight. Grill the chicken until just done and set aside.

Wash and dry the lettuce, tear into pieces, and put a nice amount on each plate as the bottom layer. (I included some arugula and red leaf lettuce, but Paseo uses romaine.) Cut about a quarter of the red cabbage into slivers and layer than in next. Cut cooked beets into matchsticks and put them on top. Tomatoes and avocado are not part of the Paseo dish, but I added some around the edges. Cut the chicken into strips and place them on top of the salad.

 Cover all that with a sprinkling of fresh cilantro, to taste. And serve with vinaigrette. 

Vinaigrette: 1 teaspoon French mustard (don't use the yellow stuff!), 3 tablespoons vinegar (red wine or balsamic), 6 tablespoons good quality olive oil, splash of water. Whisk it all together until emulsified, taste to see if it needs salt.

I bet even Kenny Chesney would love this! And we can't wait to hear about the avocado cake...

TOPPED CHEF will be on bookshelves on May 7 with more Key West adventures and food...In the meanwhile, you can preorder the book here.  

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And I almost forgot--there is a contest going on at my Facebook page this week with books and a gift certificate to a bookstore as prizes--click here for the details and to enter!