Grilled Chicken, Black Bean Sauce, and Grilled Corn

I had some ears of corn that wanted grilling, so had to come up with something else to grill to go along with it - I can't justify $3 worth of charcoal for a few ears of corn! So I perused Food Blog Search, and quickly found Elise's recipe for Grilled Lime Chicken with Black Bean Sauce.

For the chicken, you marinate in lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, oregano and s&p. Then you bake it on a bed of red onions for 15-20 minutes, which really does wonders for keeping the chicken moist. After baking, grill until done. While the chicken (and corn) were grilling, I added a little olive oil to the onions in the dish, and baked a little longer to get them softer (and kill any par-cooked chicken juice).

The black bean sauce is simply canned beans, water, cilantro stems and oregano. Cook forever, then blenderize. Mine turned out a little soupy, but easily reduced on the stove until I got a good consistency. I added a little epazote while simmering, acquired from Penzeys on my trip to Chicago, and I like the herby-stinky-bitter undertones. Umm...that didn't sound appetizing. But believe me, epazote is a good addition, in moderation.

For the corn, I pulled back the husks, removed the silk, and put the husks back in place. Grilled until the kernels were nicely browned in spots, turning every couple minutes, probably 30 minutes total, maybe more. The husks char and get black & crispy (I love that smell). Served with butter mixed with chili powder and lime juice.

I've got plenty of bean sauce leftover, and I think it would do well as a dip with some green onion, tomatoes and cheddar cheese stirred in. Maybe some chorizo, if you're feeling meaty.

All in all, this was a very pleasant dinner. Thanks to Elise for the chicken and bean sauce recipes, and thanks to Ben for recommending epazote.