When I’m in Mexico City one of my favorite things to do is enjoy some elote, a Mexican grilled sweet corn that you find selling out of push carts all over the streets and squares. Take it up a notch with spiciness, creaminess and the saltiness of cotija cheese as a perfect, fresh summer salad for your next backyard BBQ, picnic or cookout.
Ingredients
- 5-7 ears of sweet corn, substitute 1 bag Trader Joe’s frozen Fire-Roasted Corn
- 1/3 cup cotija cheese, substitute feta if needed
- 1/3 crema (substitute 3 tablespoons sour cream and 5 tablespoons mayonnaise)
- 1 small red onion chopped
- ½ teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- Dash of Kosher salt & pepper
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, optional
- 2 limes (one for juice, one for garnish)
Preparation
- Husk and grill sweet corn.
- With a sharp knife cut the corn off the cob.
- Toss all of the ingredients together in a bowl
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish with a quartered lime, a few sprigs of cilantro, some cotija cheese and a dash of chili powder.
TIP: Aaron says “when grilling the corn charing adds a lot of flavor.”
Mix it up
Add protein like grilled chicken or steak
Freshen it up with tomatoes, sweet peppers or radishes
Summer Veggie Salad
Saturday mornings I love a trip to the farmer’s market, loading up on fresh vegetables and herbs. One of my favorite, easy to make is a veggie salad.
Strawberry Salad with Candied Walnuts
When fresh strawberries are in season, it makes a perfect and refreshing side dish when you don’t want to cook.
Sully’s Shrimp Salad
Want to be a rock star and have a great summer salad? Not a lot prep time but “off the charts” delicious! I make it when the Jersey Tomatoes are in prime time and they are now! Shrimp, green beans, fresh tomatoes, bacon and sweet onions, what’s not to like!
Elote — Mexican Street Corn
The Spanish translation for Elote is corn. When visiting Mexico City I love going historic center of Mexico City to get grilled sweet corn from the street vendors. It’s a fantastic appetizer or side for a summer BBQ.
Mexican Elote Grilled Corn Salad
This take on the Mexican street snack, elote or grilled sweet corn, is easy to make as a side dish for a Sunday gathering in your backyard.
