Grilled Striped Bass in Corn Husk Pouches

Photo by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty / Plate by Myrth Ceramics

Using corn husks in place of foil to wrap fish in a steamy butter bath means less waste and more flavor; the tender striped bass is infused with the essence of corn, cumin and lime. A fun summertime presentation straight off the grill, this recipe can easily be doubled for a group.

Serves 2

½ stick unsalted butter, softened
½ teaspoon ground cumin
1 clove garlic, grated
½ lime, zested and juiced
1 teaspoon minced fresh red chili
2 scallions, slivered
2 tablespoons minced cilantro
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 ears corn, shucked, husks reserved but silk discarded
¾ pound wild striped bass filet, cut into 2 equal pieces
hot sauce of your choice, for serving

In a small bowl, mash together the soft butter with the cumin, garlic, lime zest, chili, half the scallions and half the cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Line up the corn husks in 2 layers to make 2 “packages” large enough to wrap the fish pieces. Lay a fish portion on each package; season with salt and pepper, smear the top with a bit of the butter mixture and a pinch each of slivered scallions and cilantro. Squeeze some lime juice over the top. Wrap up the filets inside the corn husks and tie up using wetted down butcher’s twine (make sure it’s wet or it will burn on the grill). Oil both ears of corn and season with salt.

Light a charcoal grill and allow the coals to cool to medium. Place the shucked corn and the corn husk pouches on the grill and cook, rolling the corn and flipping the pouches once, until corn is charred and the fish is cooked through, about 15 minutes total; timing will depend on the thickness of your fish so check for doneness with the tip of a knife.

Remove the corn from the grill, cut the kernels from the cobs and stir in a dollop of cumin- lime-chili butter; add salt and pepper to taste and any remaining scallions and cilantro. Open the corn husk packages at the table, spoon corn mixture into each one and serve with more lime wedges, hot sauce and the rest of the cumin-lime butter.

This recipe appeared in the Summer 2020 issue as part of a larger story on Seafood and Corn on the Grill.