Blistered

As  restrictions loosen and we adjust to our ever changing new normal, it's time to think about firing up the grill for those backyard cookouts and barbecues. Things will be different. Very different. Although masked up at safe distances, it's still a time to be together and (most importantly) climb out of our bunkers for fresh air. And there's no better air than sweet smoky barbecued  air. It's grilling season. Barbecue season. Corn season.

Few things set my heart aflutter more  than the first sight of  roadside corn stands spilling over with fresh corn or when the first fresh ears hit the local farmers markets. Corn season is summer slathered in butter.

Typically, when corn starts rolling in, I channel my grandmother and keeps things simple. Boiled with

butter, fried in bacon fat, or creamed with scraped-from-the-cob- milk juices are my go to preps. Simple. Pure. Fabulous. Eventually, I branch out into crazy land with deep fried corn on the cob, pureed fresh corn grits, corn puddings, and spoon breads. That said,  I will forever be enamored with grilled corn. It hits every note. Smoky. Sweet. Crunchy. Soft. Once grilled, the possibilities are endless. Whether smeared with butter for a traditional take, slathered in mayo, dusted with chili powder, and sprinkled with cojita for a Mexican street corn spin, or sliced off the cobs for easier bites, grilled corn is everything.

So, go ahead, fire up the grill. Load it up with barbecued ribs, chicken, burgers, and dogs. Slather everything in sauce. Just remember, the sides are key. They're the reason for the season. And while fresh vegetables and salads  keep things civilized, grilled summer corn bridges the gap between beauty and brawn.

Blistered Corn Fritters with Quick Kentucky Chow Chow
Unlike dense corn cakes flecked with corn, these airy cakes are filled with smoky grilled corn lightly bound in batter and are more fritter than cake. Teetering on the edge of precious, they can masquerade as delicate finger food. Or, better yet, they can be swiped through sticky barbecue drippings to keep it real. After all, that's what summer's all about.


Quick Chow Kentucky Chow.
Whether purchased or scratch made, I am never without a jar of chow chow on hand. Can't imagine soup beans and cornbread without chow chow. Sweet, spicy, tart, and crunchy, it's the ultimate southern relish.

Most chow chows are processed and canned for preservation to last over the long winter months. Quick pickled with a 2 or 3 week refrigerated shelf life, there are no long winter months in the waiting with this chow chow.

After grating 2 cups Rolling Blue farm cabbage into a large bowl, I added 1 cup rolling Blue Farm diced green tomatoes, 1 cup sliced Stonehedge green onions, and 1 cup diced red bell pepper. I tossed the vegetables with 1 tablespoon kosher salt, covered them with plastic wrap,  and slid them into the refrigerator to macerate overnight.

Once softened from the salt bath, I drained the vegetables and set them aside.
Working over a medium flame, I toasted 2 teaspoons mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon whole black Tellicherry peppercorns, 2 tablespoons whole allspice berries, and 1 tablespoon coriander seeds. When the seeds started to pop, I hit the pan with 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 cup water,  and 1/2 cup sugar. When the sugar dissolved, I added the reserved vegetables along with 1 teaspoon ground mustard, 1 teaspoon ground ginger, and 1 teaspoon ground turmeric. I brought the chow chow to a boil, reduced it to a simmer, and let it rip for 1 1/2 hours ( stirring occasionally and adding water when needed) until it thickened before pulling it from the heat. When cooled, I slid the chow chow into the refrigerator to chill.

 Fire.
Corn can be grilled with or without the husks. When grilled in their pre-soaked husks, the corn steams while picking up subtle smoky notes. When grilled without the husks, it blisters and chars from the smoky heat, hammering home a deeper flavor. I love and do both. For these finger sucking  fritters, I wanted blistered crunchy corn.

After pulling the husks away from the cobs for easier handling, I scrubbed the silks from the ears, brushed the ears with vegetable oil, slid them onto a hot grill, turned them from time to time until they started to blister, and  pulled them from the grill. When they were cool enough to handle, I sliced the corn from the cobs, stirred a cup of the grilled corn into the reserved chow chow, and set the remainder aside.

While the grill was still hot, I tossed a few Stonehedge green onions over the fire to wilt and char before pulling them off and slicing them into whisper thin ribbons.

Batter up.
I use one basic cornbread recipe for everything. It works with any kind of cornmeal and never fails. It's great for skillet cornbread, corn muffins, corn cakes, hush puppies, and old fashioned cornbread salad.

After sifting 1 cup Weisenberger Mill all purpose flour and 2 tablespoons baking powder into a mixing bowl, I added 1 cup Weienberger Mill plain yellow cornmeal, 4 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 4 tablespoons vegetable oil, 2/3 cups milk (or buttermilk), and 2 beaten eggs. I folded 1 1/2 cups of the reserved grilled corn into the batter, and gently mixed the batter until combined before setting  it aside for 10 minutes to rest.

Working over a medium flame, I brought 1/4 cup vegetable to the edge of smoking in a large cast iron skillet.  When the oil sizzled around the end of a wooden spoon ( a grandmother trick), I spooned 1/4 cups  batter into the oil, spacing the fritters  about 3 inches apart.  When the batter settled into the hot oil and started to set, I twirled a few of the reserved grilled green onions over the cakes before carefully flipping them over and gently patting them down. As each batch crisped up and browned on both sides, I pulled them the skillet and set them aside. After brushing the tops with a smidgen of melted butter, I dusted them with sea salt, and finished each corn fritter with a puckery kiss of chow chow.

Suspended in the crisped batter, the corn popped with a smoky sweetness that played off the spiced sweet/tart crunch of the chilled chow chow.

Blistered corn fritters.
Keep it real.

And get your grill on.