The first of the local corn showed up at the Farmer’s Market last week. The perfect opportunity to make this recipe, inspired by Esquites, or Mexican street corn. Adding spicy roasted potatoes to the corn makes it a very hearty salad, perfect as an accompaniment to grilled meats and chicken. The spicier, the better! The first time I made this, it was a little too spicy. Then I toned it down too much and we decided we preferred the spicier version. Of course, you can make it as spicy as you like by choosing milder chilies or using less. I have written the recipe using serrano chilies. They are HOT. You can replace them with Jalapenos for a milder version. I also like using the Italian method of roasting the potatoes, which is to boil first and then roast. This gives them a very creamy, buttery interior.
Spicy Mexican Corn and Potato Salad
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 1-2 tablespoons lime juice depending on how thin you want your dressing
- Zest of one lime
- 4 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1-2 serrano chiles, seeds and membrane removed and very finely diced (use one Fresno or Jalapeno chili for less heat)
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon Pimenton
Roasted Potatoes and Corn:
- 4 cups fresh corn kernels cut from 4-5 ears of corn (see Recipe Notes for grilling corn)
- 1½ pounds small Dutch Gold or small red potatoes washed and boiled until almost cooked through, about 10 to 12 minutes – they will cook more when you roast them so don’t overcook
- ½ poblano chili, seeded and cut into ½” dice
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon Pimenton
- ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro plus 2 tablespoons for garnish
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
Instructions
Dressing:
- Combine all ingredients. Taste and adjust seasoning. Set aside.
Roasted Potatoes and Corn:
- Preheat oven to 400° convection. Remove corn from cobs and set aside.
- Peel boiled potatoes and cut in half or quarters. Combine potatoes with poblanos, olive oil, salt and Pimenton and roast in a single layer on a broiler proof pan for 15-20 minutes until brown and crisp.
- Turn potatoes after 10 minutes for even browning. Remove potatoes to a bowl, leaving any remaining spicy olive oil in the pan.
- Add the corn kernels to the pan the potatoes were cooked in, mix together and broil until corn begins to char. Stir and continue to cook just until corn is crisp/tender and much of the corn has some charred spots. Do not overcook.
- Toss the roasted potatoes and corn with the dressing, ½ cup chopped cilantro and scallions. Taste and adjust seasonings. Garnish with chopped cilantro.