A Short Glimps into the Summer with Esquites
With the weather being so marvelous, I have an overwhelming desire to cook more summer dishes. Esquites — Mexican street corn salad — is a perfect example: charred sweet corn tossed with feta, scallions, cilantro, jalapeño, lime, and a dusting of chili powder.
Come July, we will have an abundance of sweet corn in Central Illinois. Oh, how I long for those days when I would go to the local farmers market in the morning and pick up some sweet corn, peaches, and other goodies for supper for my family. Those days are to be enjoyed soon — along with a nice tall glass of lemonade.
Ingredients
Esquites
- 4 cups frozen corn (or 5 ears of fresh corn, shucked)
- 3 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- ½ cup sliced scallions
- ½ cup chopped cilantro leaves
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded, stemmed, and finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- Zest of one lime
- Hot chili powder, to taste
Method
20 minIf using frozen corn, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Cook corn for one minute, then drain it and shock with cold water.
Preheat a medium cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add corn and cook for about 4-6 minutes, or until corn is nicely charred on both sides. Transfer to a large bowl.
Add feta cheese, scallions, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic, mayonnaise, lime juice, and chili powder. Toss until well combined.
Originally published on Daga's Cooking Journal.