The Kitchen Staple That Gives Grilled Corn 10X More Flavor

As summer gets into full swing, corn season is upon us. And the grill is the perfect appliance to impart a smoky flavor and crispy char to sweet corn on the cob. While a slather of butter and some salt might be your go-to for a quick corn on the cob dress-up, Caesar dressing is the kitchen staple that gives grilled corn 10X more flavor.

Caesar salad dressing is a simple yet powerful blend of egg yolks, anchovies, lemon juice, garlic, and Parmesan cheese. It brings a burst of umami, salt, and tanginess balanced by the richness of the egg yolk, culminating in a creamy emulsion that will coat corn on the cob as effortlessly as lettuce. It also rounds out the sweet, smoky flavors of grilled corn with savory, salty, zestiness. Whether you're making Caesar dressing from scratch or busting out a bottle of your favorite Caesar salad dressing brand, it'll make for a much more flavorful spread than salted butter. The heat from the corn will help bloom the dressing's flavor while also making it more liquid, thus filling every nook and cranny around each kernel. Plus, you can use the Caesar salad dressing as a corn on the cob spread to anchor other tasty garnishes. No Caesar salad is complete without croutons and shredded Parmesan cheese. And you can bring these elements to Caesar-dressing slathered corn on the cob by rolling them in seasoned toasted breadcrumbs and Parmesan.

A fun fact that you might not know is that Caesar salad dressing was actually invented in Mexico and omitted the anchovies. While we think anchovies are a major improvement on the original recipe, you can take a lesson from Mexican cuisine by using the Caesar salad dressing to create an entirely new form of elote or esquite. A classic elote comes slathered in mayo to anchor on crumbled Parmesan cheese, chili powder, and lime juice. For a Caesar elote, you could keep the Parmesan cheese, but replace the chili powder with freshly cracked black pepper and the lime juice with lemon juice. If you don't have fresh corn on the cob, you can use canned corn or frozen corn for Caesar dressing esquites, using the same garnish swaps.

You can take the backwards approach to this grilled corn hack by cutting grilled corn off the cob and adding it to a Caesar salad instead of croutons. Pair a grilled corn Caesar salad with grilled jalapeños, pickled red onions, and fresh avocados for a summer salad bursting with flavor. Caesar salad dressing would also be a delicious potato salad dressing that you could likewise embellish with grilled corn off the cob, chopped egg, red onions, and diced pickled jalapeños. If you really want to amp up the flavor of your Caesar salad dressing, make it a day in advance so the flavors will meld and intensify.