A few weeks ago I went to a birthday party and the birthday girl requested that I bring a dip of some sort. I was more than happy to oblige. I decided to make a dip that I had ran across a few months ago that I bookmarked as a good spring dip because it looked like it would be good with fresh spring corn.

I must admit though, I was skeptical about how good it would be, so I actually didn’t take any photographs of it and didn’t intend to write a post on it. HOWEVER, it was a huge freakin’ hit at the party. The whole dish was gone in like three minutes and people were scampering for the recipe.

So, I remade the dish the next weekend so I could share it with all of you. Trust me it wasn’t that hard because this stuff is seriously good.

There is really only one key to this dip and it is using fresh corn. I don’t think it would be as good with frozen corn (although it would be okay) and it would be not good at all with canned corn.

Hot Corn Dip (Adapted from Emeril’s recipe)

- 4 ears of corn, cut off the kernels
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1/2 bunch scallions, the green and white part chopped
- 1 Jalapeno, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, minced
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar
- 1/2 Cup mayonnaise
- Butter, for cooking
- Salt and pepper
- Cayenne (optional, but not really)
- Tortilla chips for dipping

I’ve learned that the best way to cut corn off the cob when it isn’t cooked is to use a large serrated knife, like a bread knife and do inside a large bowl. Otherwise, the kernels will fly all over the place.

Once you have the kernels off the cob, heat up 1-2 Tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat and toss in your kernels. Stir every once in a while until the kernels are slightly browned.

Or you can try the TOSS.

You should be stirring this every once in awhile but no reason to watch over it or anything. After 8-10 minutes, the corn should be lightly browned. Take it off the burner and put it in a bowl.

While your corn is cooking, take the time to chop up all your other veggies. Take some time to make sure they are chopped up nice and fine. It’s a dip after all. Especially make sure that jalapeno is minced well. A large bite of jalapeno is not everyone’s idea of a good time.

Once your corn is cooked and in a bowl, add another Tablespoon of butter and throw in your onion and red peppers again over medium heat. After it cooks for just two minutes, add your scallions, garlic, and jalapeno to the mix. Toss together and let it cook for another few minutes until all the veggies are soft.

Then add that mixture to your corn and add your mayonnaise and half of your cheese along with a good pinch of salt and black pepper. Then grab your cayenne!

The original recipe called for 1/4 Teaspoon of this stuff. I probably used closer to 1/2 – 3/4 of Teaspoon (BAM right back at ya Emeril!). Once all of the ingredients are mixed up, put it in a 9 X 9 baking dish or a medium sized one. Top with the rest of your cheese and bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is bubbling.

Here is my advice. Make this dish, buy some chips, and take this to the next barbeque you get invited to. I promise that you will make new friends.