Sriracha-Lime Corn Salad

By lorik

There are so many different ways to use this, here are a few examples:


Make a taco with your favorite filling (steak, shrimp, chicken, tofu) and the corn salad.

Make it a greener salad by adding leafy greens and adding a little more dressing. An Almond Butter Citrus Sauce would be good.

Make a batch of summer corn cakes and serve it with a poached egg and maple syrup for breakfast for dinner. Add in a few slices of bacon if you'd like.

Prepare a creamy bowl of risotto and stir in the salad, already warmed in the microwave, at the end. It will add a subtle spiciness to the risotto.

Ingredients

• 3 ears of corn, kernels sliced off of the cobs
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and minced so the pieces are about the same size as corn kernels
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (or, for a slightly richer iteration, 1 tablespoon olive oil plus 1 tablespoon butter)
• 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons Sriracha
• 1/4 cup (packed) chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup (scant) crumbled Cotija cheese
• 1/2 lime, for squeezing
• salt and pepper, to taste

Details

Servings 4
Adapted from food52.com

Preparation

Step 1

1. In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil (or, because you love yourself, half olive oil and half butter) over medium-high heat. Fry the corn kernels, pushing them around with a spatula or wooden spoon occasionally, until the corn is popping and browning slightly, 6 to 8 minutes. This will take a little longer (about 10 minutes) if you go the all-oil route.

2. Add the peppers and cook for 2 to 3 additional minutes, but don't go so far that the peppers completely lose their crunch. Pour in Sriracha and toss to coat. Remove pan from heat.

3. Add parsley and Cotija and squeeze the lime half over everything; mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Almond, Butter, Citrus Sauce (If you want to mix this with a green salad):

Makes 1 scant cup
1/4 cup almond butter
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon white miso
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon agave or maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
Blend all ingredients together in a blender or food processor till smooth. Store in an airtight container in the fridge. The dressing will keep for up to 5 days

For Corn Cakes:
Makes eight 4-inch cakes


For the cakes:
2 cups corn kernels, divided in half (from about 3 ears)
2 tablespoons butter, plus more for cooking
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup red onion, finely diced
1/2 cup basil chiffonade, plus more for garnish
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt and pepper

1. In a blender, purée half the corn kernels, butter, and buttermilk until mostly smooth. Transfer to a bowl. Mix in remaining corn kernels, onion, and basil.
2. In a separate bowl, thoroughly combine all of the dry ingredients.
3. Add wet ingredients to the dry, and mix until just combined.
4. In a skillet, melt some butter over medium heat and about add 2 heaping tablespoons of batter for each pancake. (You can customize this based on how big you'd like your cakes to be, of course.) Cook about 2 minutes per side or until cooked through. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.
5. Top with the Corn Salad.
6. Top each cake with an egg, salt, and pepper, and garnish with basil or maple syrup, depending on your taste.