roasted corn cobs with serrano mint sauce

I was trying to remember my first 4th of July and what I did. I think it would have been in Ohio while I was at school or perhaps I was visiting my family in D.C. but damn, either I'm getting old or I simply can't remember. But what I can remember is corn cobs, grilling them with my friends at some grad school event during summer in Hyde Park (Cincinnati, Ohio). 

I have a couple of quirks when it comes to eating corn off the cob, I don't do it straight because when the bits get stuck between my teeth, it makes me anxious and a little irritated. At that point I'm thinking of numerous ways to slip away for a few seconds and find some floss to to get rid of that tightening feeling in my mouth. So, I'm more of a person that prefers to take the blade to the cob and get all my corn neatly piled up in the bowl. Which is why I love this recipe. You can serve it on the cob to those who love to eat it that way and also to people like me who want it scraped off. 

But let's talk about this sauce, it's fresh and herby with mint and cilantro, a few serrano peppers for some heat, a dab of lime juice and almonds for a creamy texture with a splash of Califia unsweetened almond milk to add richness. And while, I did create this sauce for the corn, I noticed that we were using it dress everything we could at our table.  So happy 4th guys! Have a lovely holiday weekend. 

roasted corn cobs with serrano mint sauce

makes 4 servings with approximately 1 1/2 cups of sauce

4 corn cobs

extra virgin olive oil for grilling

for the sauce

1 bunch [2 cups] mint 

1 bunch [2 cups] cilantro 

1/2 cup [120 ml] Califia unsweetened almond milk

1/4 cup chopped almonds

1 garlic clove

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

2 serrano peppers

1 tsp cumin seeds

juice of one lime

1 tsp sea salt

garnish 

1 serrano pepper, thinly sliced

1 to 2 tsp Maldon salt flakes

Heat the grill to high and clean the grates. Strip the corn cobs  and discard the  husk and silk. Brush the cobs with enough olive oil on each side and then roast them directly on the grill until they char evenly on each side. Remove from the grill and keep warm.

To prepare the sauce, blend all the ingredients from the mint to the salt in a blender until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Transfer to a bowl.

Just before serving, drizzle the sauce as needed over the hot grilled corn cobs and then garnish them with the sliced serrano and the salt flakes. 

Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Califia Farms, however all opinions expressed are solely my own.