It may sound corny, but pass the cobs

One of the best days in summer is when local corn starts to appear in the farmers markets. I’ve been enjoying lots of it this summer and the best corn is still to come.

The way most people eat it – including me, most of my life – is to slather the cobs with a big stick of butter. That’s fine, but too much butter-slathered corn and, well, we all know where this is headed.

My solution for corn-on-the-cob fans is my barbecue Mexican corn. I’ll concede that fresh corn tastes great on its own. But sometimes I like to spice it up a bit.

This easy-to-make side dish offers big flavor without giving you a big gut. Note to ladies: This is something your man can do on the grill – besides just char some steak, burgers, hot dogs or some other mouthwatering chunks of meat, that is.

You’ll keep the husks on too. That’s important, because real men grill corn with the husks left intact.

This recipe uses cotija cheese, known as the “Parmesan of Mexico.” If you’re unfamiliar with it, cotija cheese is a strongly flavored, crumbly cheese that is used like Parmesan is in Italian cooking. If you can’t find cotija in your supermarket, try using Parmigiano-Reggiano or feta.

Don’t worry about the calories from mayonnaise. I use the low-fat version, and it tastes absurdly fabulous as a part of the grill “sauce.”

This recipe makes a welcome, tasty addition to anything else you do on the grill: spareribs, chicken, steak or burgers, or as an accompaniment to quesadillas, tostadas, fajitas, tacos or burritos.

So hit the store for an armful of fresh corn on the cob, and get grilling. You’ll have a healthy side dish at only 158 calories a serving with 6 grams of fat.

Compare that to traditional corn slathered with butter, which has 265 calories per serving and 17 grams of fat.

Just stay away from the s’mores, apple pie and strawberry shortcake, and you might actually emerge from summer a bit slimmer.

Barbecue Mexican Corn

1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise

1 teaspoon barbecue spice rub (use your favorite)

4 ears corn, in their husks

Butter-flavored cooking spray

1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) cotija cheese, grated

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

Heat a grill or grill pan to high. In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise and barbecue spice rub. Set aside.

Place the corn, in their husks, on the grill or pan and allow to steam cook for about 5 minutes per side.

Peel back some husk and check for tenderness. When corn is tender, remove from the heat but leave the grill on or the pan over the heat. Cut 1 inch off the top of the cobs. Grasp the husk, along with the silk, and peel the husks off the cob like a banana. Continue peeling back the husks around the rest of the cob. Peeling them back together in this way creates a handle for holding the cob.

Spray the corn with cooking spray and place on the hot grill or pan. Grill until the kernels begin to develop grill marks and become charred, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the cobs occasionally.

Using a pastry brush, brush the mayonnaise mixture onto each cob. Sprinkle the cheese and cilantro over the cobs. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

Yield: 4 servings

Nutrition per serving: 158 calories, 6 grams fat (3 grams saturated), 12 milligrams cholesterol, 23 grams carbohydrate, 7 grams protein, 3 grams fiber, 367 milligrams sodium.