Mexican Street Corn “Salad” aka “Esquites”

I can’t wait to for fresh vegetables to appear in August — especially juicy, ripe tomatoes and corn-on-the-cob. I could eat these two vegetables every day. My recipe, “Mexican Street Corn Salad,” takes corn-on-the cob and turns it into a delightful salad (or side dish). Although I love corn-on-the cob, sometimes it is much easier to eat when it is cut off the cob. In this recipe, fresh corn kernels are sautéed in olive oil. They are still crunchy and full of fresh flavor. The recipe adds flavorful ingredients of traditional “Mexican Street Corn” to make a tangy side dish. These are queso fresco cheese crumbles, jalapeño pepper, green onion, garlic and a dressing of mayonnaise, lime juice and Tajin seasoning. Although the recipe serves 6 people, the two of us ate this all in one meal. Lets go.

Recipe inspiration

I found this recipe while reading yet another E-mail message from a recipe service; as I am now subscribed to the “Taste of Home” recipe internet site. But, that is okay, as “Taste of Home” usually has recipes which make sense, are “fact checked” and easy to follow. I have extra corn-on-the cob and most of the other ingredients for the recipe on hand to make the salad. Plus, last year we grilled corn-on-cob to make “Mexican Street Corn”, which we all loved. The “salad” basically takes the same ingredients and mixes them in a bowl. So, this recipe re-imagines “Mexican Street Corn” as a salad. Yum!

What are Esquites?

My reference recipe named this dish, “Esquites.” And, I had never heard of this term. In researching the word, I found that esquites comes from the Aztec Nahuatl word ízquitl, which means “toasted corn.” Esquites is a popular Mexican street food. Corn kernals — cut off the cob — are boiled or sautéed. A sauce — made of mayonnaise, cotija cheese, chili powder, and lime juice — is mixed with the corn. It is served in a cup.

Ah;, those memories

When I was growning up, we visited my grandparents every August in Iowa on their farm. We had corn on the cob at all three meals — corn pancakes at breakfast (made from leftover corn) and fresh corn on the cob at lunch and supper. I loved the corn, and always had several helpings. And yes, I did gain weight. But, those are the memories. I still like corn-on-the cob and think of my Iowa grandparents whenever we eat this vegetable. (The huge ear of corn in this photo is “field corn.” It has no flavor — and is destined to feed the farm animals.)

Recipe

Here are the ingredients for this recipe. The recipe calls for cotija cheese. That is difficult to find — so I substituted queso fresco cheese crumbles. This is a mild, tangy cheese and is perfect in this recipe.

I had Tajin seasoning on hand. This is a popular Mexican seasoning featuring smoky chilies, lime and salt. Use either this seasoning or a spice blend of chili powder, smoked paprika, lime juice and salt. You don’t need both. And, Tajin has plenty of salt — omit the salt if using this seasoning. (I did use lime juice to thin down the mayonnaise.)

Making the recipe.

This recipe requires a little pre-prep. Shave the corn kernels off the raw cob (don’t cook the corn), dice the jalapeño pepper and a clove of garlic and slice the green onion. My 4 ears of corn yielded 3 cups of corn kernels. Just right for this recipe. I used only about 1/3 of this jalapeño pepper. Just enough to get a little flavor. Same as one garlic clove. Smash the queso fresco cheese to make crumbles.

Here is everything chopped up and ready to go.

Sauté the corn in olive oil for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add the jalapeño pepper and garlic and cook for 5 additional minutes. (Cook 10 minutes total.) Remove from stove, let cool slightly and transfer to a large bowl. My corn didn’t “char” as roasted corn, but then, “blackened” corn probably wouldn’t taste so great.

Mix the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. I like to mix the dressing ingredients together first to make sure everything is evenly combined. The lime juice thins down the mayonnaise to make a nice dressing. I omitted the salt — as I discovered that Tajin seasoning is plenty salty!

Here is everything ready to go.

Combine the ingredients in the large bowl. The “salad” is finished. The reference recipe states that the corn salad is best when served warm. So, we are ready for supper. However, since this dressing contains mayonnaise, I recommend either eating this dish immediately or chilling it. In other words, don’t hold it at room temperature for very long.

Serve in a bowl — or for an authentic twist — in a cup or small bowls.

This corn concoction is delicious. It is a great way to enjoy the flavors of “corn-on-the-cob.” The Mexican ingredients give a different flavor to the corn. An interesting change! Although the reference recipe states that this serves 6 people; my husband and I devoured the entire dish in one meal. He declares that this recipe is a “keeper.”

Enjoy “corn-off-the-cob” this August!