Mexican Street Corn Salad

Cobs of slightly charred corn with a slathering of this and a dusting of that, have been on my must-try list for a while now. Right now I am picturing beautiful Mexican street corn with lime wedges on the side. A lovely thought indeed. When summer comes, though, I stick to a simple grilled preparation with no additions to my summer sweet corn. I can’t explain why, but the thought of it as a salad motivated me to finally give the flavor combination a try.

I think you should make this. The colors are vibrant and it just looks like a party in a bowl. The roasted corn pairs well with the other summer vegetables and herbs. The cheese and chili powder make the prettiest garnish.

Make this for your friends and insist they chant, “Party in a bowl!” as you bring it to the table. Wouldn’t that be fun?

Mexican Street Corn Salad

Adapted from Serious Eats, serves 6

I’ve included directions for roasting the corn in the oven, which I like because I can prep the other ingredients while they roast. You can also grill the corn on the cob directly on the grill until the outside just begins to char or heat the corn kernels in a skillet with a few tablespoons of oil for about 5 minutes.

Ingredients

6 ears fresh corn, shucked and kernals cut off the cob
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
4 ounces cotija or feta cheese, finely crumbled, plus more for serving
3/4 cup white onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1-2 jalapeño peppers, stem, seeds and inside rib removed and finely minced
2 medium garlic cloves, grated or pressed
2 limes, juiced
1 teaspoon fresh chili powder, plus more for serving
sea salt, to taste

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Corn tip: break cobs in half and then cut the kernels off with a sharp knife. This gives you a stable base for cutting and more control when removing the kernels. Line a rimmed half sheet pan with parchment paper or foil and place the corn kernels in an even layer on the pan. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes, tossing every 15 minutes or so until the kernels begin to brown and the roasted corn aroma fills your kitchen. Remove from the oven and let cool a bit.
In a large bowl, combine the mayonnaise, cotija cheese, onion, cilantro, jalapeño, garlic and 1 teaspoon chili powder. Stir together well and add a pinch of sea salt. Add the slightly cooled and roasted corn and mix. Taste to see if more sea salt is needed. Before serving, crumble extra cotija cheese on top of the salad and a sprinkle of chili powder. Can be made the day before and kept in the refrigerator.