Cilantro Lime Corn

Fresh flavors abound in this cilantro lime corn. The secret is an intensely flavored herb butter which is added to the corn near the end of cooking. It forms a pan of saucy goodness that’s delicious on its own, in salads or as a side dish.

The recipe comes from my new favorite cookbook, Deep Run Roots, written by Vivian Howard of A Chef’s Life program on PBS. Vivian Howard grew up in Eastern North Carolina and her recipes are loaded with the flavors, textures and colors of a rural childhood. I am enchanted by her stories as well as her recipes. Growing up in Maryland we ate more crabs than pork barbeque but the summers were full of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Use fresh or frozen kernels to make cilantro lime corn

Vivian’s recipe makes use of kernels that have been freshly cut from the cob, which is recommended. After more than five summers in Spain I’ve yet to see unshucked ears of corn in the markets. It’s a popular vegetable, though, particularly on salads. So I opted to purchase a bag of frozen kernels to make my version.

The key to this flavorful side dish is the cilantro lime butter which can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge if you like. It’s very easy to whirl all of the ingredients together in a food processor. If you don’t have one, use a mixer to whip the lime and cilantro into the butter. The butter will have an intense taste. Don’t panic! It will mellow out when added to the corn and form a nice little sauce.

A vegan spread will substitute for the butter if you prefer a non dairy option.

Cilantro Lime Corn

The intensely flavored cilantro lime butter mellows and turns into a sauce in the pan.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American, vegetarian

Servings: 6 servings

Author: LydiaF

Ingredients

• 1/2 stick butter, softened (4 tablespoons)
• zest and juice of two limes
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves and stems (a good handful)
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups corn (I used a bag of frozen yellow kernels)
• 1 cup water

Instructions

• Pulse the cilantro leaves and stems in the food processor until finely chopped
• Add the butter, lime zest and juice, cayenne pepper and salt
• Pulse until well combined. You'll need to scrape down the sides of the bowl on occasion.
• Set the butter aside. Refrigerate if making ahead of time.
• Heat the corn and water in your largest skillet over medium high heat.
• Cook until the corn is warmed through and nearly all of the water has been cooked away. Adjust the heat if necessary.
• Stir the lime cilantro butter into the corn. Let the butter melt and coat the kernels.

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Cilantro lime corn is at its best when served warm while the sauce is creamy and the cilantro is still bright green. I ate it right out of the skillet but you might prefer to serve it as a side dish along with some grilled chicken and sliced tomatoes.

Rick and I spend some time in April visiting relatives in Emerald Isle, North Carolina, about an hour from Vivian Howard’s restaurant in Kinston. We had a lovely time and I enjoyed listening to their reminiscing about spending time in Eastern Carolina as children and teenagers. Rick’s cousin gifted us with this gorgeous cookbook. I had to make room in my suitcase for it, but it was worth the extra weight. This won’t be the last recipe I’ll share with you.

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