Recipe - Roasted Corn Salsa

By this late in the summer, most of us have probably had our fill of fresh corn on the cob, either from roadside stands, the grocery store, or our own gardens.  I had a crisper drawer full of corn purchased from a local farmer that we were not getting through quickly enough, so I decided to try something new--Roasted Corn Salsa. Made with corn, cucumber, red onion, jalapeno, and cilantro and flavored with fresh lime juice and garlic, it's a zesty change of pace from regular tomato salsa.  If you have the time and patience, it would be even better to blacken your ears of corn somewhat on the grill or in a cast-iron skillet.  Because I just used a regular frying pan, my kernals of corn were browned more than blackened, but for even better flavor and color, I would suggest cooking then charring the corn just a bit using one of these methods.  It's a great snack with tortilla chips or as a topping for any of your favorite Southwestern dishes. See my recipe for this delicious end-of-summer treat after the grocery listings, and enjoy!

Roasted Corn Salsa

4 ears fresh Corn
1 medium Red Onion
1 seeded Jalapeno
2 cloves Garlic
1 fresh Lime
1 large Cucumber
1 bunch Cilantro
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon coarse grind Pepper
1/2 teaspoon or so Kosher or Sea Salt
1/2 drained and rinsed can of Black Beans (optional)

With a sharp, serrated knife, carefully cut the corn off the cobs.

Place some oil in a skillet and brown the corn for several minutes, sprinkling with salt and pepper.  Or if possible, rub your ears of corn in oil and grill until browned before cutting off the cob.  Or if you have a cast-iron skillet, this would also work well for charring the kernals a bit once they are cut from cob. I would have done mine this way if I had one.

Dice the purple onion up small.

Add this to the corn pan and saute for a couple of minutes.  Let cool.

Seed and chop the jalapeno (use baggies or gloves to protect your hands). Also chop up the cucumber.

Remove the cilantro leaves from the stems and chop.  I like to use my scissors in a small, deep bowl for this.

Mince up the garlic.  I like to use my zester, but you can just dice it small.

Toss all the vegetables together into a bowl with a tight fitting lid.

Now make the dressing by whisking the olive oil, salt and pepper, sugar, and the juice of one lime.

Add the dressing to the rest of the ingredients.

Stir together, taste, and adjust seasonings if needed.

At this point, you may want to add some black beans that have been rinsed and drained.  I have people who won't eat beans, so I left these out.  You could also add some chopped tomato if desired.

Keeps well in the fridge for several days.