If you’ve only had steamed or boiled corn on the cob, you’re in for a real treat. Roasting, which is my favorite method, yields a corn that is drier yet both sweeter and crunchier than steaming. I had never really eaten it until my husband, Mark, surprised me by making dinner. I rarely eat it any other way now.

I suggest using nine ears of corn because I find that if I make six it’s not enough, and if I make 12 it’s too much. Feel free to make as much or as little as you and your guests will eat.

Serves 6.

9 ears corn, husked and cleaned of silk
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil or unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

2. Place the corn directly on the oven rack and cook until it is tender, about 12 minutes. Remove the corn from the oven, brush with the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

From The $50 Dinner Party: 26 Dinner Parties That Won’t Break Your Bank, Your Back, or Your Schedule (Simon & Schuster, 1998)