Don’t stew over dinner

Carefully turn back husks of corn and remove silk. Remove all but the innermost layer of husks, reserving a few pieces for tying. Fold innermost husk layer back over each cob. The kernels should be covered by, but still visible through, the last husk layer. Using reserved husk pieces, tie a thin strip around the tip of each cob to hold husks in place. Soak cobs in cold water for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. Meanwhile, to prepare lime crema, combine sour cream, lime juice, chipotle pepper sauce and salt in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Remove cobs from water; drain. Grill cobs over medium heat on natural gas barbecue, turning over frequently, for 15-20 minutes.

Peel back husks. Sprinkle corn with chili powder and drizzle lime crema over top in a zigzag fashion.

If desired, the lime crema can be drizzled over corn using a fine-tipped, food-grade plastic squeeze bottle. Serves 6

Assemble a variety of fresh vegetables and create something special by grilling them until they’re crisp and lightly browned.

That’s the tip from a San Francisco recipe developer and cookbook author who has written a tempting summer cookbook called Vegetables On Fire (Raincoast, $27.95).

Brooke Lewy deplores the fact that we regularly grill meats and fish to perfection, then neglect to do anything interesting with the vegetables.

Give those midsummer vegetables what she calls “that smoky, crisp-edged flavour” in this colourful French dish of eggplant, zucchini, squash, bell peppers and red onions.

Her dramatically presented collection of more than 60 recipes is thick with tips about successful vegetable grilling and includes directions for indoor cooking as well.

Cut the vegetables all the same width so they grill at the same rate and use medium-high heat, Lewy writes.