You’ll need a nonstick skillet for this or at least a very well-seasoned cast-iron or steel pan (or cheat and start with a tablespoon or two of corn oil). Although this recipe will work with frozen corn kernels, it is far, far superior when you strip the kernels from fresh cobs. Corn cooked this way is terrific in salads—either green or bean—where you are looking for extra crunch and flavor.

　　

Ingredients

4 servings

　　6 ears corn, shucked

　　1 jalapeño or 1/2 habanero (Scotch bonnet) chile, stemmed, seeded, and minced, or 1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes, or to taste

　　Salt to taste

　　1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves

　　Lime wedges for serving

　　

Step 1

Use a knife to strip the kernels from the corn. It’s easiest if you stand the corn up on a cutting board or in a shallow bowl and just cut down the length of each ear as many times as is necessary; you’ll quickly get the hang of it.

　　

Step 2

Put a large nonstick skillet over high heat; when it begins to smoke, add the corn and chile and let sit for a moment. As the corn browns, shake the pan to distribute it so each kernel is blackened on at least one surface.

　　

Step 3

Remove from the heat, then add salt and stir in the cilantro. Serve immediately, with lime wedges.

　　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.