Day 3 – Roast Corn Salsa

Wonderful on its own as a side salad or lunch, this salsa works beautifully alongside grilled chicken or barbecued steak, assisting your favourite tex-mex dishes such as tacos, burritos or fajitas or even as a bed for some fiery Huevos Rancheros.

By pan-frying whole corn in a dry fry pan or on a barbecue, the corn sweetens and chars to add a subtlety not always there with conventionally cooked corn. Right now, corn is at its summer peak and incredibly good value in shops around the country. With a bunch of zesty flavours thrown in, this really is a wonderful dish to enjoy throughout summer. It feels good to eat it, and you can’t ask for anything better than that.

Serves 2 as a complete dish, or 4 as a side salad

INGREDIENTS

2 corn cobs (If you are using whole frozen cobs, de-frost them first, pat dry and then continue); 2 large shallots, OR 1 small red onion, very finely sliced; ½ red capsicum, finely chopped; ½ green capsicum, finely chopped; 3 tomatoes; ½ bunch coriander, roughly chopped; 1 large lime; 1 tsp cumin; 1 tsp paprika; pinch sea salt

METHOD

Heat a non-stick fry pan or griddle over medium heat. Remove the husks and silks from the corn and place in the not pan. Turn the corn over every five minutes until the kernels start to colour. This will take about 20 minutes in total. The corn should be mottled and speckled with black and dark brown bits rather than evenly coloured, tender and warmed through.

While the corn is roasting, chop your capsicum and shallots and add them to a large salad bowl. Slice the tomatoes in half, squeeze out the seeds and jelly and chop the flesh, then add to the bowl with the coriander. Add remaining ingredients and toss well to combine it all in lime.

When the corn is tender, run a sharp knife down the sides of the cob and remove the kernels in large chunks. Add to the tomato mixture, toss briefly and serve at once while the corn is still warm.

COST

$7.70 for four people as a side dish