If you think nothing beats grilled fresh corn in the summer, think again: street vendors in Mexico, Chile, Peru, and other Central and South American countries figured out how to make a great thing even better, adding a little lime juice and chile powder to what is already a near-perfect food. The tart lime juice is incredibly refreshing, and a little smoky heat from the chiles brings out the crisp sweetness of the corn. For a more indulgent version, see the variation.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 to 8 servings

　　8 ears fresh sweet corn

　　3 tablespoons butter

　　1 lime, cut into wedges

　　1 tablespoon pure chile powder, like ancho or New Mexico, plus more to taste

　　

Step 1

Start a charcoal fire or preheat a gas grill; the fire should be moderately hot, and the rack no more than 4 inches from the heat source. Peel back the husks of the corn without removing them and remove the silks. Smooth the husks back into place, but don’t worry if they don’t completely cover the kernels.

　　

Step 2

When the grill is ready, grill the corn, turning occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes. As the ears start to brown, carefully peel back the husks. Coat the corn with the butter and return to the grill with the husks peeled back. Grill, turning occasionally, until nicely browned—some of the kernels will blacken, and that’s fine—another 5 to 10 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Squeeze lime juice on the corn, sprinkle with chile powder, and serve immediately.

　　

Grilled Corn with Cream and Cheese

Step 4

Omit the lime juice. After sprinkling with chile powder, coat with Mexican crema, or thinned sour cream, about 1 tablespoon per person, and sprinkle with grated cotija cheese, about 2 tablespoons per person.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.