bywater in Warren
Eschewing the traditional chef-driven restaurant model, Brian & Katie O’Donnell chart their own course with their neighborhood eatery.
This recipe is our rendition of traditional Mexican street corn (one of our favorite snacks). Grilling the corn gives the dish a wonderful flavor. In the height of summer, we can’t get enough of it—we think you’ll feel the same way.
Ingredients
SERVINGS: 4 Serving(s)
- 4 ears grilled fresh sweet corn
- 4 slices smoked bacon
- 1 pint ripe cherry tomatoes, rinsed and cut in halves
- 2 large ripe beefsteak or other large heirloom tomatoes, sliced into half moons
- Garlic aioli*
- 4 tablespoons crumbled dry cotija cheese (or any other hard, salty cheese, like ricotta salata or Parmesan)
- 2 tablespoons chopped chives
- Piment d’Espelette or paprika
- Good-quality extra-virgin olive oil
- Flakey sea salt for finishing
* Garlic Aioli
- 1 cup Hellmann’s or your favorite mayonnaise
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
- ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
- ½ teaspoon Banyuls or sherry wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Preparation
First remove corn kernels from the cobs and set aside. In a medium saute pan, cook bacon until crispy. Drain bacon grease from the pan and roughly chop the cooked bacon. Return the bacon to the pan, add cherry tomatoes and corn and heat, tossing until warmed through. Taste for seasoning.
To serve, divide beefsteak tomato slices among 4 plates (or place on one large platter), arranging them in a circle. Place warm corn and bacon mixture in the middle. Top each serving with a dollop of aioli, then sprinkle with cotija cheese, a sprinkle of chives and, finally, a pinch Piment d’Espelette. Drizzle with olive oil and salt to taste.
Garlic Aioli
Mix ingredients together and set aside, or refrigerate until serving. (Or double the recipe and have more for later—it’s great as a dip for fries, veggies or as a sandwich spread.)
About this recipe
Chef/co-owner Brian O’Donnell, bywater, Warren
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