Infusing Dairy with Charred Corn Husks

Corn husks are usually composted, but charred and steeped they give dairy a green, hay-sweet, faintly grassy aroma that reads as pure corn without the starchy weight of a kernel puree. Strip the husks from the cobs, rinse and pat dry, then char or toast them - over a flame, under a hot grill, or in a dry pan - until fragrant and just colouring. Tear them up, submerge in warmed milk and cream, and steep off the heat, covered, for 30-45 minutes. Strain, pressing hard to extract flavour, and top up with a splash of milk to restore the volume lost to the husks. It is the backbone of Ciaran's corn-husk ice cream, but the same infusion works in custards, panna cotta or a savoury corn sauce.