It’s sweet corn time, hooray! And if you love the taste of fresh sweet corn, you’re going to love this grilled corn dip. Trust me on this!
The first time I made this dip, Jimmy and I ate the rest of it for breakfast the next morning. And while I can neither confirm nor deny my involvement, it may have been dinner the last couple of nights. 😀 It’s just that good!
You may know that I am a huge fan of the Pioneer Woman; growing up a farm girl, I can totally relate to her stories. I miss living on the farm! And I love her recipes, because their simple and easy and delicious. The grilled corn dip is in her Year of Holidays cookbook.
Not only am I posting this for your benefit, it’s for mine too. I can NEVER remember where I put the recipe when I go to make it! Now I’ll know where I need to go. 🙂 She also lists a number of variations for it in the cookbook, but I can’t get past this one to change it. Maybe you’ll be more adventurous!
This is the original recipe;  I doubled the recipe this time so I could share it with friends. (Sorry if you didn’t get any.) 😉
GRILLED CORN DIP
4 ears of sweet corn, shucked
One 8-oz package cream cheese, softened.
1 cup sour cream
4 green onions, sliced
4 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
4 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
4 oz. queso fresco, cotija or similar Mexican cheese, crumbled
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, more to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of 1 lime
Several dashes of hot sauce (I used Tabasco)
Clean and wash the corn, and either hold it with tongs over the flame of your stove, or grill them if that’s easier. I usually put them outside on the grill, although if I’m making this in the winter and using frozen corn, I have been known to use a grill pan. This is how PW does it.
I recommend having the heat high enough on your grill that the corn gets a little bit of char pretty quickly. While the dip is still wonderful, it’s the char that gives it the smoky taste. Naturally, it was the hottest day of the year when I decided I had an overwhelming need to make it NOW, so I got impatient and took mine off before mine got a really good char. But no one is complaining! 😀
When the corn is cool enough, slice the kernels off the cob.
Add the cream cheese, sour cream, and green onions to the bowl of an electric mixer using the paddle attachment, and whip until it’s totally combined.
Grate or add pre-shredded Cheddar and  Monterey Jack cheese, and crumble the queso fresco cheese  (I used cotija) with a fork and add them to the bowl with the other ingredients. Mix in the cheeses until they’re totally combined.
Next, add the cumin, paprika, cayenne, salt and pepper along with the lime juice and the hot sauce.
Finally, throw in all that beautiful corn!
Mix it until the corn is distributed. Cover and refrigerate the dip for at least two hours. It gets better over time!
Serve in a bowl with tortilla chips, corn chips, crostini, or empty potato skins.
A couple of her suggested variations:
Add 1/4 cup chopped cilantro to the dip for a really fresh flavor.
Add 1 seeded, diced jalapeno for a little more heat.
Enjoy it, and give me a shout if you make it. 😀
Cheers!
