Barbecued Corn Cobs and Mango Salsa

Much as I liked Florida, I have to say that I was stunned at the lack of vegetarian food options available.  Whilst the lovely folk were perusing huge menus, laden with delicious options, I invariably ended up with deep fried cheese and iceburg lettuce salad!  Now feel free to call me fussy, but I love (and I mean LOVE) my food, have been spoilt rotten by our cooking at home, and was soon pretty despondent at the thought of another meal out, asking for another meat-filled salad to be de-meated!  Yes, I had a huff; yes it wasn't pretty, or grownup of me; and yes, I have wonderful friends who took to the iPad and researched restaurants and their menus in advance (things improved greatly) and also cooked some great veggie BBQs.

I'd heard about baking corn cobs in hot coals and so one night we tried an alternative version on our gas-run Weber (it had, and needs to have, a lid).  It's utterly simple, gorgeous to watch, taste and smell, and was worthy of some pictures.

Barbecued Corn Cobs

Corn Cobs, in their skins

Butter/Margarine

Salt

Pepper

Gently peal back the husks of the cobs as low as you can without breaking them.  Remove the "hairs" of the cob, as these will burn whilst cooking.  Spread the corn liberally with butter/margarine and season well.  Re-lay the husks back on the corn, covering the kernels to keep them from burning (though the odd burnt section is surprisingly tasty!)  Lay the cobs on a hot BBQ and lower the lid.  Our Weber had a thermometer and registered 350F whilst cooking; but it is a recipe that can be done by sight, smell and touch (the cobs feel softer to the touch when cooked - rather like an unripe mango or avocado).  We cooked ours for 30-40 minutes and then left them to rest on a plate and in their skins for a further 30 minutes before eating.  Peel and remove the skins and dive in.  Warm and buttery (but not dripping down your chin), they are the perfect finger food!

Inspired by a particularly lovely Mexican restaurant we went to, as an accompaniment to our Corn Cobs and various other bits and pieces, I also made a quick Mango Salsa.

Mango Salsa (serves 4-6)

1 fresh mango

1 red pepper

3-4 tomatoes

Fresh flatleaf parsley

Juice of 1 lime

Salt

Pepper

Finely chop the mango and tomatoes, dice the red pepper.  Mix in a bowl with a handful of roughly chopped parsley, the juice of a lime and season with salt and pepper.  Ideally, this could rest in a fridge for an hour or so, to let the juices mingle.  Serve and enjoy.

Just delicious, proper sunshine food, both of them... and yes, I would now like to buy a gas BBQ!