Herb Roasted Corn on the Cob

Fresh corn on the cob from Misaki's Market
on the Hawaiian island of Moloka'i.
Click on photo to view larger

It's that time of year again when fresh corn is in season. I don't care who you are or where you live, most people love grilling corn.

Grilling corn is popular and it tastes great but sometime the grilling overpowers the sweet flavor of the corn.

I found out years ago that corn husks contain a lot of corn flavor and moisture. Leaving it on the cob is the way to go because it intensifies the flavor and sweetness of the corn, plus preparing it in the oven instead of grilling frees you up to cook other things, so here's my easy recipe:


Herb Roasted 
Corn on the Cob
Ingredients:
8 ears of fresh corn on the cob with the husk left on
8 tablespoons, butter, room temperature
salt, to taste
fresh ground black pepper, to taste
8 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, (optional)
8 sheets of aluminum foil

Procedure:
Preheat oven to 400˚F.

Pull the corn husks down to reveal the corn and the corn silk that cling to the corn. You want to remove all of the silk by pulling it off of each ear of corn. Discard the silk. While the husk is still attached, spread 1 tablespoon of butter on each ear of corn. Sprinkle each ear with a little salt and pepper, to taste, and with 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning on each ear. Now put a pinch of cayenne pepper over each ear if desired. Now pull the corn husks back over the corn, trying to completely cover each ear with the husk. Finally tightly wrap each ear with a sheet of foil, twisting the ends tightly.  This seals in the moisture so the corn steams in its own juices, Yum!

Place the ears on a baking sheet and roast in the pre-heated oven for about 40 minutes. Turn corn over after 20 minutes. Remove from oven and serve. I like to leave the foil on when I serve this corn so each person can open it like a present, but you can do it yourself before serving. Serve with Brown Sugar Grilled Salmon and The Best Potato Salad. Makes 8 servings.

Note: Corn silk is incredibly rich in many disease fighting antioxidants and polyphenols. Corn silk is also rich in vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin K, C, and potassium. Read about it here.