It never ceases to amaze me that the simplest thing is often the most enjoyed by many people. I guess I have had my head in the clouds for far too long, thinking that top end food is the key to success in this field but I am constantly reminded that people just want “good food”.
Last Saturday I had the pleasure of cooking for Eat.Drink.Blog conference. I nervously cooked for seventy odd bloggers.
When I was approached to cook for this event, I didn’t really think about the bloggers, I was more thinking about having fun with the food, cooking the food I enjoy cooking and more importantly, cooking the food I enjoy eating! My mind raced away with so many ideas but in the end I was hooked on a South American fiesta. I have never been to South America and it is a wish of mine to one day do a food safari there but I have tasted so many flavours from that part of the world. I have been taught by people from these countries how to cook these things authentically and only stayed within the “flavour” realms I know and was comfortable in. But I had a vision – fairy lights on the pool deck, an outdoor fiesta away from the stiffness of a restaurant, open to the elements, with shared platters of Latin American flavours, lamb on the spit, meat off the grills and the theatre of it all being done right in front your eyes! I imagined the smells, the noise and all of it being played out in front of guests mingling and enjoying the atmosphere and I was instantly excited at the idea of cooking this “fun” meal. I thought about me, I thought about how much fun I was going to have, to be free to cook, until that night when I had to actually cook! I was so stressed out. It dawned on me that I was cooking for people who “write” about food and have probably been to millions of these things and upon realising this, the pressure was on!
So many things went through my head, what if they don’t like it, what if I don’t say the right thing, what if I mucked it up and so on and so on! I have cooked for presidents, princes, movie stars and rock stars and never have I been more nervous. In my mind, it was like having seventy food reviewers about to review my restaurant but instead of waiting for that review in weeks time to be published, it would be written about and published with every bite they take, horrible thought for a chef! WORST NIGHTMARE! But alas, the night was actually fun. People enjoyed them selves and more importantly the food. I met passionate foodies with so many stories to share and for an amateur blogger like me, I was keen to find out more about their expertise, I could only wish that perhaps next time I will be a guest at this function (that was a hint by the way).
This is the a recipe of the grilled corn served that night. As mentioned, it is easy but very tasty. I hope you enjoy it as much as the bloggers did!
Grilled Corn with Roasted Garlic Aioli and Parmesan
Serves 10
Grilled Corn
20 Corn on the Cob steamed for 15minutes husk on
For the Aioli
2 Whole Eggs
2 Egg Yolks
1 tbspn Dijon Mustard
¼ Cup White Vinegar
500ml Vegetable oil
¼ Cup Garlic Cloves peeled
3 Limes juiced
Sea Salt
White Pepper
To Finish
200gr Parmesan Cheese
1 Bunch Coriander finely chopped
6 Limes cut into cheeks or wedges
Method
For the corn
- Once you have steamed the corn, pull the husks back and tie them back using raffia, clean off the corn “hairs”
- Grill on the char grill until evenly darkened, slightly black. Try not to grill the husks and make sure the husks are always wet, so it doesn’t burn
- Once grilled, place on a platter ready for the aioli
For the Aioli
- Pre Heat oven at 180 degrees Celsius for the garlic
- Meanwhile, place the eggs, egg yolks, mustard and vinegar into a mixer and blend on high for about 30-45 seconds
- Slowly add or “stream” the oil into the mixer whilst it is still on high speed. Add about 50ml then allow it to blend for another 30-45 seconds with out adding any more in
- Once the added oil is fully emulsified, add the rest by slowly “streaming” it in. Adjust more or less oil depending on the thickness of the end product (some eggs are bigger, fresher etc which will change the amount of oil needed) then turn it off in readiness for the garlic
- Heat up an oven proof pan for 1 minute on high
- Add a little oil and brown the garlic evenly on all sides
- Place into the oven and roast until almost black
- Cool then puree in mortar and pestle
- Add the garlic to the mayonnaise then blend until evenly mixed through
- Finish by adding freshly squeezed limes and check seasoning
- Place the aioli in a squeezie bottle
To Finish
- Squeeze the aioli over the corn relatively high up to form thin a strip and zig zag all over the corn until well covered
- Micro-plane the parmesan into whispy thin shavings all over the corn until completely covered
- Sprinkle the chopped coriander on top of that
- Serve with lime cheeks or wedges
Comments (54)
Miss Piggy November 6, 2012
Thanks for sharing the recipe – so generous of you. I think EVERYONE had a wonderful night at the dinner you prepared for us – it was so relaxed and so fun. It felt like a really big family dinner…and the corn was AMAZING!
dnleslie November 6, 2012
No problems at all! My pleasure and I believe, there is no secrets when it comes to cooking!
Christine (@cookingcrusade) November 6, 2012
Dennis, thank you sooo much for sharing this absolutely fantastic recipe. Out of all your amazing dishes from Saturday night, this was definitely my favorite! You did an absolutely stunning job with that meal!
dnleslie November 6, 2012
You guys rock, I wish I had more time to pick your brains about blogging! I hope you enjoy and let me know how it turns out!
Christine (@cookingcrusade) November 7, 2012
There’s always twitter 😉 🙂
dnleslie November 7, 2012
Oh I have far too many questions and Im afraid twitter cannot hanlde them all
Christine (@cookingcrusade) November 8, 2012
Haha well there’s always email! 🙂
dnleslie November 8, 2012
oh you shouldn’t have said that! now you’re gonna get flooded with emails
Megan November 6, 2012
Thanks for sharing the recipe. I look forward to tying it for my next BBQ.
dnleslie November 6, 2012
My pleasure! Let me know how it goes
anna November 6, 2012
Wow! thanks for sharing this recipe! I’m also going to be on your sisig recipe! Great meeting you at the EDB2012 dinner!
dnleslie November 6, 2012
No worries, my pleasure! I don’t think I posted Sisg yet, I will look and if not, I will post straight away for
you
The Melbourne Food Snob November 6, 2012
Thanks for sharing the recipe! The corn was delicious. The beef ribs were pretty amazing too 🙂
dnleslie November 6, 2012
Thank you very much. It was great to meet you passionate foodies! I’ll post that recipe for the ribs soon as soon as I get a picture!
Erin B (@SheCooksGardens) November 6, 2012
Hey Dennis, I have been thinking about this corn all weekend – thanks so much for sharing the recipe. We bloggers are generally a friendly bunch, you had no reason to worry, your food is always excellent! 🙂
dnleslie November 6, 2012
Like I said on the post, as chefs we over think it some times, amazing to see that such a simple recipe was so in demand! No, bloggers weren’t bad at all, I would have loved to have had the time to speak to you and some others, I love this blogging thing! Thanks for the wonderful comment Erin
sybaritica November 7, 2012
Excellent presentation!!
dnleslie November 7, 2012
Thank you
Ashley November 7, 2012
It’s lovely to hear that you were cooking for yourself first, and doing something that you thought you would enjoy most before thinking too much about anyone else, it really showed in the food and I think I made the comment to some friends about how I loved how fun and unpretentious the food was, it was so nice to just kick back and be able to mingle and nibble.
The corn was one of my highlights for sure, so thanks for sharing the recipe! 🙂
dnleslie November 7, 2012
Thank you so much Ashley, I really appreciate your comment. Hope you enjoy the recipe
Sara (Belly Rumbles) (@bellyrumbles) November 7, 2012
Dinner at EDB was fantastic, thank you so much. The chicken and the corn were my fave dishes. Thanks for sharing the corn recipe, it will get a work out form me over Summer 🙂
dnleslie November 7, 2012
My pleasure Sara! So glad you enjoyed
Daisy@Nevertoosweet November 8, 2012
Thank you Dennis for sharing the recipe 🙂 This had gotta be one of the BEST grilled corn! But the winning dish for me was the BEEF RIBS ~ Hope to visit you at Brasserie again soon!
dnleslie November 8, 2012
no worries, glad you enjoyed the ribs! They are one of my favourite dishes!
melissaloh80 November 8, 2012
Thank you so much for sharing this grilled corn recipe (and the amazing dinner, particularly the ribs)! It was sensational and I really want to give it a go at home at our next barbeque.
dnleslie November 8, 2012
absolutely my pleasure and any time. I am so glad you enjoyed and now you can enjoy it at your leisure
Baking for Bloggers: Eat.Drink.Blog 2012 « Playing House November 8, 2012
[…] raved about before, and who cooked our dinner on Saturday night) mentioned being a little daunted about cooking for food bloggers; I was feeling the same. I knew everyone was lovely because I’d already spent a day and a […]
dnleslie November 8, 2012
Daunting huh! So much pressure, I think I lost the plot there with my staff a few times for no apparent reason, seriously unlike me!
Winston November 8, 2012
Oh man Dennis you have no idea how much I miss the food that you and your team cooked that night. Every dish was absolutely SPECTACULAR. Just the kind of food I love to eat. Homey, hearty and comforting. Especially the chicken, lamb, beef ribs and the Cuban rice. And this corn! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe with us and being so great for hosting us that night. Definitely a meal I’ll remember for a very long time
dnleslie November 9, 2012
Wow, thank you very much for the lovely words. I had so much fun cooking it and my team loved being out there also. Such a different setting from normal dinners, I would have loved to sit there a talked to every one, you guys had many stories and experiences with food! Thanks once again!
winstonthehungryexcavator November 8, 2012
Oh man Dennis you have no idea how much I miss the food that you and your team cooked that night. Every dish was absolutely SPECTACULAR. Just the kind of food I love to eat. Homey, hearty and comforting. Especially the chicken, lamb, beef ribs and the Cuban rice. And this corn! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe with us and being so great for hosting us that night. Definitely a meal I’ll remember for a very long time
dnleslie November 8, 2012
That is so awesome to hear and thanks for sharing those comments! Cuban rice, hhhmmm, yeap, I can eat that just by itself with little fried chorizo sausages or blood sausages! Or even better, crispy skin pork belly.
Thanks once again!
Natasha J Stewart November 8, 2012
Wish I’d got a chance to talk to you more Dennis, although I was a little too busy enjoying the delicious food. 😉
Hopefully when the conference rolls around next year you’ll be joining us as a blogger!
This corn was delicious, plus I love the ones with the husk left on. It made it very easy to pass down the table, and considering everyone loved them so much, this happened quite often.
I’ve developed a love of permanent emulsion sauces, they make you feel so accomplished, which isn’t something that happens very much to me when cooking savoury food!
Thanks for sharing the recipe!
dnleslie November 8, 2012
Yes, spending more time with you guys would have been great. As much people like picking my brain, I totally enjoyed asking bloggers about blogging! Truly lve this blogging thing, just time at the moment with work doesn’t allow to do more!
I hope next I will go around as a blogger, I better brush up and get better.
Don’t be a stranger, stay in touch!
Nic@diningwithastud November 9, 2012
Thank you SO much for posting 🙂 the food was amazin but the corn won my heart. I couldnt get enough of it. I’ll definitel be recreating at home. Thanks again 😀
dnleslie November 9, 2012
N worries, my pleasure and I’m so glad you enjoyed it
Eat Drink Blog 2012 conference dinner at the Hilton Adelaide November 10, 2012
[…] definitely want to give Dennis Leslie’s Grilled Corn with Roasted Garlic Aioli & Parmesan a go at the next barbeque. Visually these are stunning. Everyone’s eyes went wide and the […]
dnleslie November 10, 2012
Thanks guys, really loved the event
Martyna @ Wholesome Cook November 10, 2012
Hi Dennis, that corn was something else!!! I had 3 pieces and was keen to take some home too. PS Thanks for the tour of the kitchens, you run a well-oiled machine there! M.
dnleslie November 10, 2012
Now worries Maryna,
Thanks for the comment and ‘m glad to hear you enjoyed the tour.
Noodly Baked Eggs | Wholesome Cook November 11, 2012
[…] the other Anna, Kate and I. Thanks to the executive chef at the Hilton, Dennis Leslie who made this amazing grilled corn, we also got to explore the innards of a commercial kitchen, complete with its own butchery […]
dnleslie November 11, 2012
Thank you very much, loved all of it and meeting all of you talented bloggers
Shanshan Lam (@food_religion) November 11, 2012
I heart you girl! I’ve seen a million of these photos around when the EDB conference was on – can’t wait to give this one a track! Glad you posted the recipe hehehe
Eat Drink Blog 3: Experiencing South Australia « Playing House November 12, 2012
[…] table (which happened often considering everyone wanted seconds). Dennis also very kindly posted a recipe for the corn on his blog (yes he’s a blogger too, make sure you go check him out). We had plenty more to […]
Julie November 13, 2012
Hi Dennis wondering what type of vinegar? just white? really love that you are sharing this recipe 🙂
dnleslie November 13, 2012
Hi Julie,
Just normal white vinegar will be ok
Lizzy (Good Things) November 14, 2012
It was a beautiful evening! So much wonderful food.
dnleslie November 14, 2012
Thank you very much. It was a great night from our end too!
Eat Brink Blog Conference – The Hot Topics » veggiesandme.com November 18, 2012
[…] Chef Dennis Leslie shared the recipe for his widely popular grilled corn from the feast on his blog here. Without a doubt this was the dish that got all the attention on the night and in the reviews the […]
dnleslie November 18, 2012
Thank you very much for the lovely comments!
Eat Drink Blog 2012 Conference Dinner at Hilton Adelaide | Brisbane Devoured December 16, 2012
[…] I think one of the highlights of the meal for everyone was the Grilled corn with cheese, lime and coriander. Such a simple dish but effective. Dennis had posted the recipe on his own blog here. […]
dnleslie December 16, 2012
Thanks guys
The Family Christmas Lunch 2012 December 24, 2012
[…] Our contribution of Dennis Leslie’s Grilled Corn with Roasted Garlic Aioli and Parmesan (Recipe) […]
dnleslie December 24, 2012
wow, that looks awesome and thanks for letting see how it went. WICKED!