Chef's Recipes

Corn shards with sesame salt

These sweet corn cobs receive an upgrade with a sprinkle of gomasio, an addictive Japanese seasoning of sesame seeds and salt.

By Sean Moran
  • 10 mins preparation
  • 10 mins cooking plus cooling
  • Serves 6
  • Print
    Print
"I'm hooked on the Japanese sesame salt, gomasio," says Sean Moran of Sean's in Bondi, Sydney. "I love using it to season anything from a pot of boiled brown rice to an avocado. With the sweetness of summer corn, it's another hit. Once toasted, ground and cooled, it can be stored in an airtight jar for several days, so don't be shy with the quantities."

Ingredients

  • 6 corn cobs, silks and husks removed
  • Extra-virgin olive oil or melted butter, for drizzling
Gomasio
  • 1½ tsp sesame seeds
  • 2½ tsp sea salt flakes

Method

  • 1
    Plunge corn into a large saucepan of unsalted boiling water and boil until tender (10 minutes). Remove cobs and place each into a freezer bag, roll them up to seal and rest for 10 minutes (this helps the starch cling to each kernel so it can hold together when cut).
  • 2
    Meanwhile, for gomasio, combine sesame seeds and salt in a wide frying pan over medium heat and roast, shaking and tossing, until deep golden (5-6 minutes). Immediately grind to a fine powder with a mortar and pestle (or use a suribachi).
  • 3
    With a sharp, flexible knife carefully shave about 4-5 strips of kernels lengthways off each cob, aiming to keep kernels together, but avoiding cutting into the husk. Slide them onto a serving plate and serve warm, dusted with gomasio and drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil or warm melted butter.
SHAREPIN
  • undefined: Sean Moran