American Flag Grilled Corn Platter with Chili Lime Butter and Cotija Stars

How to Make American Flag Grilled Corn Platter with Chili Lime Butter and Cotija Stars

1. 1

   Step 1: Make the chili-lime butter

   Melt all the unsalted butter in a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the melted butter in a small dish (this will be your 'plain' butter for the white stripes). To the remaining butter add the fresh lime juice, chili powder and kosher salt; whisk until smooth and taste for seasoning, adjusting lime or chili to preference.

   For this step

   • 8 tbspUnsalted butter
   • 2 tbspFresh lime juice
   • 2 tspChili powder (or Tajín for extra tang)
   • 1 tspKosher salt
   
2. 2

   Step 2: Prep the corn for grilling

   Remove husks and silk from the corn and trim the ends if needed. Pat the ears dry and brush each ear lightly with vegetable oil to prevent sticking; sprinkle lightly with a pinch of additional salt if desired.

   For this step

   • 2 tbspVegetable oil (for grilling)
   
3. 3

   Step 3: Grill and butter the corn

   Heat a grill to medium-high (about 400°F/200°C). Place corn directly on the grates and grill, turning every 2–3 minutes, until evenly charred in spots, about 10–12 minutes total. During the last 4–6 minutes, decide which ears will form the red stripes and brush them with the chili-lime butter; brush the remaining ears with the reserved plain melted butter so they read as lighter 'white' stripes.
   
4. 4

   Step 4: Assemble the flag platter and make cotija stars

   On a large rectangular platter arrange the 8 grilled ears in rows to resemble a flag — for example, 4 rows of 2 ears across. For the blue canton, mound blueberries over the upper-left corner across the first one or two ears so they form a dense blue rectangle. To make cotija stars: place a small star-shaped cookie cutter on parchment, press crumbled cotija firmly into the cutter to form little stars (or pack cotija into the cutter and tap out); make 8–12 small stars and place them atop the blueberry field. Scatter a few cilantro leaves for color if using.

   For this step

   • 4 ozCotija cheese, crumbled
   • 2 cupsFresh blueberries
   • 1/4 cupFresh cilantro leaves (optional garnish)
   
5. 5

   Step 5: Finish and serve

   Give the platter a final sprinkle of chili powder on the red-striped ears if you like extra color, and an extra dusting of cotija over the white rows for texture. Serve warm right off the grill — remaining grilled corn keeps 2–3 days refrigerated; rewarm briefly on a hot grill or under a broiler to refresh char and butter.
   

1. Melt all the unsalted butter in a small saucepan or microwave-safe bowl. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the melted butter in a small dish (this will be your 'plain' butter for the white stripes). To the remaining butter add the fresh lime juice, chili powder and kosher salt; whisk until smooth and taste for seasoning, adjusting lime or chili to preference.
2. Remove husks and silk from the corn and trim the ends if needed. Pat the ears dry and brush each ear lightly with vegetable oil to prevent sticking; sprinkle lightly with a pinch of additional salt if desired.
3. Heat a grill to medium-high (about 400°F/200°C). Place corn directly on the grates and grill, turning every 2–3 minutes, until evenly charred in spots, about 10–12 minutes total. During the last 4–6 minutes, decide which ears will form the red stripes and brush them with the chili-lime butter; brush the remaining ears with the reserved plain melted butter so they read as lighter 'white' stripes.
4. On a large rectangular platter arrange the 8 grilled ears in rows to resemble a flag — for example, 4 rows of 2 ears across. For the blue canton, mound blueberries over the upper-left corner across the first one or two ears so they form a dense blue rectangle. To make cotija stars: place a small star-shaped cookie cutter on parchment, press crumbled cotija firmly into the cutter to form little stars (or pack cotija into the cutter and tap out); make 8–12 small stars and place them atop the blueberry field. Scatter a few cilantro leaves for color if using.
5. Give the platter a final sprinkle of chili powder on the red-striped ears if you like extra color, and an extra dusting of cotija over the white rows for texture. Serve warm right off the grill — remaining grilled corn keeps 2–3 days refrigerated; rewarm briefly on a hot grill or under a broiler to refresh char and butter.