Author Notes
The photos tell the story: I would like to spare anyone the misfortune of charring corn beyond salvage, as I first did when testing out the sunset salsa recipe a fews week ago. So if you soak your corn in water first, you can avoid disaster. This recipe started with the inspiration of the three sisters: corn, squash, and beans. Along the way they picked up some friends, haberno, jalapeno, cipollini, cilantro, spearmint, basil, lime, and eventually heirloom tomatoes. I used small heirloom corn (including bloody butcher and shoepeg), native cilantro which is quite spikey on the ends, saber basil, and a red cipollini onion. Feel free to vary. Silver queen corn would be even more delicious. I grilled the corn as well as the edamame. Save yourself the trouble with the beans and roast them in the oven instead. Interestingly, my final variation, with the added tomatoes and basil, looks a lot like sunset salsa, which is where I first began with grilled corn! Do let this chill thoroughly. As a salsa serve with fage or sour cream and more fresh herbs- a medley of cilantro, basil and spearmint with your favorite dipping chips. —Sagegreen
Ingredients
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1 1/2 cups
kernels cut off the grilled corn cob (4 small ears)
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1/2 cup
roasted edamame beans or lima beans (husked and oven roasted)
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1-2 tablespoons
grapeseed or olive oil for bean roasting
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1/2-3/4 cups
small red onion, chopped (a cipollini is great)
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1-2 tablespoons
chopped and seeded jalapeno pepper, to taste
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1/2-1 teaspoons
serrano or haberno pepper, chopped, optional
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2
fresh limes, the juice of
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1 teaspoon
preferably pink salt (Himalayan or other type) to taste
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1/2 cup
fresh cilantro, bruised and chopped
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a handful of cherry heirloom tomatoes, sliced into halves, optional
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1/8 cup
basil, chopped, recommended
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1/8 cup
fresh spearmint, chopped, recommended
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1/8 cup
additional fresh chopped cilantro for second serving
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serving of Greek yogurt (fage) or sour cream on the side
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favorite tortilla chips for dipping if using salsa style
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additional medley of chopped cilantro, mint and basil for subsequent servings
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additional lime wedges to squeeze for subsequent servings
Directions
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Prepare your grill. I suggest hardwood coals with a handful of mesquite and alder wood chips.
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Trim off the raggle-taggle of your corn, including the stem a bit as well. Soak your corn in the husks in water; pull some of the husks down to expose the kernels of the cob so water can find its way to them. After soaking between 20 and 30 minutes, pull any husks back up to prepare for grilling.
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Grill your corn with the husks on. Depending upon your heat, this could take anywhere from 15 to 30 minutes. When the husks are dark brown, the corn should be cooked through, but check to see. If you want any caramelizing of your kernels, carefully turn down the husks for the last minute or two of grilling, taking care not to burn yourself in the process. Let your corn cool.
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Add the husked beans to a shallow dish with a small amount of grapeseed or olive oil. Roast for about 20- 30 minutes in a 350 degree oven until tender. Drain on paper towels and let cool.
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Combine with the chopped onions and hot peppers in a large bowl . Add the salt and let rest. Word of caution- do not handle the hot peppers directly. Use gloves or paper towels. Avoid that awful burn. If you handle them and then touch your eyes, nose, lips, you will have to suffer along...so wash your hands immediately with lots of soap in that event. Feel free to substitute sweet peppers. Add the cilantro. Pour the juice of two limes over this.
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Cut the corn off the cobs. Add 1 1/2 cups to the salad. Toss. Chill thoroughly and then serve. Add fresh garnish of a medley of herbs, chopped/chiffonade style with sour cream or fage on the side. Use also as a salsa and add your favorite chip.
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For a variation, add cherry heirloom tomatoes and basil. If you do not eat this all in one day, it will keep nicely in the fridge for a few days. The flavors will bloom after chilling and settling. This holds up in the fridge well all week long, with the flavors improving each day. Just add additional fresh herbs on top each time you serve this along with a fresh squeeze of lime to reinvigorate.
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