There are many ways to shuck and cook an ear of corn. We streamlined our approach while in Rhode Island, merely putting just picked ears of corn on a hot grill, turning them occasionally and letting everyone eating shuck their own ears. There was no need for soaking or even seasoning, although there are always those who prefer to gild the lily. The flavor of the corn was different, freshly picked, grilled on the cob and steaming in the husk. It was a revelation to eat corn with such concentrated flavor, slightly accented with the aroma of the grill.
When we returned home, I longed for this corn. Since we do not have a large grill for the patio, the idea of replicating the process seemed futile. I longed for the sweet taste of corn, accented with char and smoke, toothsome and crisp, juicy and exploding with flavor. Then it dawned on me. We could broil the corn. A broiler is really an upside down grill. I filled a sheet pan with corn and set the broiler on high. Sure, I filled the kitchen with more smoke than usual, though to my way of thinking the cloud was worth it. Our broiled corn mirrored the tastes we enjoyed on the beach. The only accent missing was the salt air.
