Admittedly, peak summer corn is so sweet and delicious it’s perfect served simply with lots of butter and salt, but sometimes I just can’t resist making things a little extra.
This dish is basically the shareable, salad version of the classic Mexican street food dish, elote, which consists of cobs of corn decked out with lime-spiked sour cream (crema), spices, cojita cheese and herbs.
In my version the crema is lightened-up using Greek yoghurt and swooped on the bottom instead of drizzled on top, and the corn is tossed with a mixture of herbs and spices. The combination results in something that’s sweet, spicy, salty and zesty all at the same time, like summer on a plate.
To me, this is a perfect side dish to bring to a BBQ potluck or for a laid-back summer dinner al-fresco. It just might be the unsung hero of the meal.
Mexican Street Corn Salad
serves 4
4 cobs of corn, husks removed
1 jalapeño pepper, seeds and ribs removed and finely diced
2 green onions, light green parts only, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup of crumbled feta, plus more for garnish
2 tbsp of lime juice (1 lime)
1 1/2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1 small radish, very thinly sliced, optional
For the Crema:
3/4 cup of 2% Greek yoghurt
1 tbsp lime juice
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Preheat a large cast iron or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the cobs of corn to the skillet, and cook, rotating frequently, until cooked through and charred in some places, 10-15 minutes.
Allow cooked corn to cool, remove the kernels from the cob and add to a large bowl. To the corn, add the diced jalapeño, green onion, cilantro, feta, lime juice, honey, salt and spices then toss to combine.
To make the Crema: whisk together the yoghurt, salt, and lime juice until smooth. Spread the crema onto a large plate and pile the corn salad on top. Garnish with more feta, cilantro, and radish slices if using.