Mexican Street Corn Salad

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.

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.