Ingredients:
- 4 ears fresh sweet corn, intact in husks
Instructions:
- Place the 4 whole, intact corn ears (husk and silk included) directly onto the microwave turntable. Arrange them in a star pattern with the stalks facing outward toward the walls for even cooking.
- Set the microwave to high power. Cook for 4 minutes. Note: While the total batch for four ears might take 12-14 minutes in lower powered units, 4 minutes of active microwave radiation is the standard baseline for achieving a perfect steam.
- Carefully use oven mitts to move the hot ears from the microwave to your cutting board. Wait until the steam stops whistling from the ends.
- Position your chef's knife approximately one inch above the stalk end (the woody part). Cut through the entire cob and husk in one firm motion.
- Grasp the tasseled end (the hair side) with a dry kitchen towel. Squeeze the cob upward from the bottom.
- The corn should slide out of the husk completely free of silk. Observe the steam rising from the golden kernels.
- Discard the husks and silks immediately while they are still hot to prevent them from becoming sticky.
- Drizzle each of the 4 ears with 1 teaspoon of olive oil, ensuring the entire surface is coated.
- Sprinkle with a pinch of smoked paprika, sea salt, and black pepper until the kernels are speckled and vibrant.
- Serve immediately with a fresh lime wedge on the side for squeezing. The most satisfying part of this process is step 6. If you’ve timed it correctly, the silk won't stick to the kernels at all. They will be perfectly clean, shiny, and ready for seasoning. If you're looking for other ways to use corn in a fun, handheld format, my [Mini Corn Dogs recipe](https://kitchen20.com/recipes/the-batterup-bites-classic-mini-corn-dogs/) uses cornmeal for a totally different, nostalgic texture.