this week in our kitchen: spicy street corn salad

Fall is just a few weeks away (woohoo!), which means the last of the corn season is here (boo). I feel that we’ve taken full advantage this year with locally-grown corn from our farmers market and trying a handful of new recipes. Just last night, we made a yummy corn and mushroom risotto that we paired with beers and good conversation when we hosted friends for dinner. And, earlier this summer, I posted a recipe for a delicious grilled scallops and corn salad recipe that we enjoyed.

Which brings us to today — and what will likely be the last corn recipe of the season. This one has a Mexican flair and a bit of a kick, courtesy of a jalapeno (although we cheated and used green chiles). We seared a nice tuna steak to accompany the salad, but it could easily hold it’s own as a main dish. What I like best about this recipe, however, is the simplicity — even with the prep work of chopping, etc., it was only about five steps. That’s my kind of recipe!

SPICY STREET CORN SALAD

Total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• ½ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup chopped fresh chives
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, plus ½ cup whole leaves and tender stems
• 1 small jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon lime zest plus 1/4 cup fresh juice (from 3 limes)
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 6 ounces cotija cheese, crumbled (about 1 1/3 cups), divided
• 1 (15.5-oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups fresh corn kernels (from 4 to 5 ears)
• 3 cups loosely packed arugula

Directions

1. Whisk together mayonnaise, chives, chopped cilantro leaves and stems, jalapeño, lime zest and juice, chili powder, pepper, salt, and half of the cheese in a large bowl until combined.
2. Add beans, corn, arugula, remaining cheese, and whole cilantro leaves and stems and toss to combine.
3. Enjoy!