Hot and Cheesy Corn Dip with Chilli Oil

There are dips… and then there are the ones people hover over, still holding the spoon long after they’ve taken their bite.

This Hot and Cheesy Corn Dip with Chilli Oil always gets that reaction. It’s not fussy. Just familiar, comforting, and a little unexpected in all the right ways. I first made it for a small dinner — the kind where you’re half cooking, half catching up — and I’ve never been allowed to stop since.

There’s something about the sweetness of the corn against the slow warmth of the chilli, the bubbling top. . .