Corn ribs with apricot chilli butter & pickles

Method

Apricot chilli butter

1. Oven 180C.
2. Line a baking dish with baking parchment (to make it easier to clean). Lay the apricots cut side facing up in the dish. Mix the sugar, chilli flakes and lemon zest together and sprinkle over the apricots.
3. Drizzle over the lemon juice. Roast till there’s some golden colour on at least ¾ of the fruit. Take from the oven and cool for five minutes then place in a food processor. Add the paprika, cumin and salt and puree smooth. Add half the butter and blitz till smooth, then add the rest of the butter and oil and puree smooth, scraping down the side of the machine twice.
4. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or paprika if needed. You need to serve this at room temperature as it will become quite firm if left in the fridge.

Pickled Turnip / Daikon

1. Peel the turnip / daikon and julienne it – cut into matchstick shapes. Toss with the salt and place in a jar just large enough to hold it all.
2. Dissolve the sugar in the hot water, then mix in the vinegar and black peppercorns and leave to cool five minutes. Pour the pickle over the turnip, seal with a lid, give a gentle shake and leave to pickle in a cool place for at least 18 hours. If you’re going to keep them longer, keep covered in the fridge.

Corn ribs

1. Boil (in salty water) or steam the corn 3-5 minutes until the kernels taste cooked (pull one off and taste it) with no starchy taste. Leave to cool.
2. You can grill or roast them whole, but I cut mine lengthways into ribs – which can be tricky and a little dangerous. (Best to watch a You-Tube channel to see the technique or look at my Insta and FB posts from 2 February 2023).
3. Brush the kernels with a little oil and either grill or BBQ until the kernels become golden brown. Sprinkle with a little salt while hot.
4. To serve, lay your corn on a plate, tuck in some pickles and sliced radish, then dollop the apricot chilli butter on the hot corn.