Esquites (Mexican Corn Salad)

Esquites (Mexican Corn Salad)
4 servings

2 tablespoons butter or oil
1 lbs corn kernels, or ~6 cobs worth?
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and finely diced
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 glove garlic, minced
3 green onions, sliced
1 handful cilantro, chopped
1-1.5 lime, juice
3 tablespoons cotija (or feta), crumbled
3 tsp chili powder or to taste
1 avocado, diced

Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the corn, toss and let it sit cooking until charred, mix it up and let it char again, about 6-10 minutes.
Add the jalapeno, saute for a minute and remove from heat.
Mix everything and serve warm or at room temperature.

Pesto Zucchini and Corn Quinoa Salad

Pesto Zucchini and Corn Quinoa Salad
Servings: 3

>1 cup quinoa, rinsed
1 3/4 cups water or broth
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
>4 cups zucchini (~2 medium sized zucchini), diced
>1 cup corn, fresh or frozen
salt and pepper to taste
1 (15 ounce) can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
1/2 cup basil pesto (homemade or store bought)
2 tablespoons lemon juice. some of the zest
1 half breast of chicken, cubed
1 avocado, diced

1. Bring the water and quinoa to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the quinoa is tender and has absorbed the water, about 15 minutes, remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes, covered.
2. Meanwhile, season and cook the chicken. Reserve. Then add the zucchini and corn and cook until tender, about 12 minutes, before removing from heat and seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Mix everything and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts: Calories 334, Fat 17.5g (Saturated 2.6g, Trans 0), Cholesterol 5mg, Sodium 142mg, Carbs 35.1g (Fiber 6.9g, Sugars 4g), Protein 11.9g

Potato Salad with Corn, Tomatoes, and Lemon

Potato Salad with Corn, Tomatoes, and Lemon
Serves 8

2.5 red potatoes, larger chunks
3 ears corn, cooked and nibbletized
2 handfuls chopped basil
1 pint whole cherry/grape tomatoes
1 small red onion, thin quarter slices
Salt/Pepper
Juice of 3 lemons
~1/2c olive oil
2 tsp dijon mustard

Boil potatoes, drain and mix with 1/2 lemon's juice. Let cool
Make the dressing with mustard, lemon, and salt/pepper. Drizzle in enough oil to come together.
Mix it all let sit an hour, and then re-season and serve.

Panzanella with Avocado, Corn, and Smoked Mozzarella

Panzanella with Avocado, Corn, and Smoked Mozzarella
Serves 2-4

4 cups sturdy bread, preferably a bit stale, cubed
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup minced parsley
1/4 cup minced basil
5-6 large ripe tomatoes, chopped to equal about 4 cups
1 smaller cucumber, chopped to equal about 1.5 cups
1 ear corn, cooked
1 avocado, diced
1/2 small red onion, chopped- optional
8oz cubed fresh smoked mozzarella cheese
fresh lemon juice- optional
salt and pepper
arugula or other salad greens for serving

1. Mix bread, olive oil, herbs, and vegetables in a large bowl. Gently fold in the cheese, and add fresh lemon juice to taste, if desired.

2. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then taste so you can adjust the seasonings, if necessary, Serve over arugula or other greens, and drizzle with additional olive oil before serving.

Salad with Shrimp, Avocado, and Corn

Salad with Shrimp, Avocado, and Corn
Serves 4

1 box spring mix, washed
2 lbs shrimp
2 tomatoes, diced
1/2 cucumber, halved and sliced
1 ear corn, in nibblets
1 red pepper, halved and thin-sliced
2 avocado, diced
Miso-ginger salad dressing

Season the shrimp and quickly saute until cooked. Cool down.
While the shrimp cools, mix the rest of the salad. Add the shrimp, dress, and serve.

Mexican Pasta Salad, Differently

Mexican Pasta Salad, Differently
Serves 6-8

1 pounds fusilli pasta
olive oil

2 large chicken breast halves
4 ears corn
1 packet sazon
2 jalapeno

1 bag cherry tomatoes, halved
1 15oz can sliced olives
1/2 large red onion, chopped

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Juice of 2 limes
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 large handful fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
~1/4c sour cream

Cook fusilli pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Rinse pasta with cold water to cool. Drain pasta well.
Season chicken with sazon and grill, along with the corn and jalapeno. Reserve, cool, and shred. Nibbeletize the corn.

Transfer pasta to large bowl. Add shredded chicken, tomatoes, corn, olives and chopped onion and toss.

Mix Dijon mustard and fresh lime juice in small bowl. Gradually mix in 1/3 cup olive oil. Mix in sour cream, minced jalapeño chilies, chili powder and ground cumin. Add dressing and chopped fresh cilantro to salad and mix to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Corn Chowder with Shrimp and Bacon

Corn Chowder with Shrimp and Bacon
Serves 4

6 slices bacon, lardons
6 cups fresh corn kernels (or about 24oz frozen)
1 chopped fennel bulb
2 smaller yellow squash, diced
2 cups cubed potatoes
4 cups chicken broth
8oz Small shrimp, raw
1/2 cup cream
Pinch cayenne, cumin
2 scallions, sliced thin
preparation

Saute bacon in a soup pot until crispy. Remove.
Re-heat the bacon fat and saute the vegetables for 5 minutes. Season. Add stock and simmer until potatoes are done, about 15-20 minutes.
Blend 3+ cups of the soup and add back to the pot. Add shrimp and cream and spices and simmer until shrimp are cooked. Season and add scallions and fennel fronds and bacon to finish.

Salad of Formerly Frozen Stuff

For when the freezer stops working :(

Salad of Formerly Frozen Stuff
Serves 2

1 box frozen fava beans (10oz), cooked
Handful frozen peas, defrosted.
1 box cherry/grape tomatoes, halved
8oz chicken, grilled and sliced
1 small zucchini, sliced and grilled
1 ear corn, cooked and de-kerneled
Juice of 1 lime
Squirt mustard
4 Tbs olive oil
Heavy salt, pepper.

Mix it all up. Make quick lime vinaigrette and mix through. Chill for a while before eating.

Jícama-Avocado Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette

Jícama-Avocado Salad with Citrus Vinaigrette
serves 6

For the citrus vinaigrette:
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup canola oil
Salt

For the jicama salad:
4 cups peeled and diced jícama
2/3 cup diced red onion
1 cup fresh white corn kernels, cooked lightly
Grated zest of 1 lemon
3 avocados, cubed

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1-2 scallions, chopped
cilantro
salt

1. Make the citrus vinaigrette: In a small bowl, mix together the juices
and mustard. While briskly whisking, slowly add the canola oil until a
homogeneous mixture is achieved. Add salt to taste.

2. To make the jicama salad: In a separate bowl, mix together the jícama,
onions, corn, avocado, and lemon zest. Add the citrus vinaigrette and
toss to coat.

Mix in the garnishes and serve.

Curried Corn Chowder with Coconut Milk

Curried Corn Chowder with Coconut Milk
Serves 4

1 large onion, diced
About 3-4 cups red potatoes, bite-sized pieces
1 lbs chicken
4c chicken stock
1 can coconut milk
1 lbs frozen corn
1 tsp sugar
1 tbs curry powder
oil or ghee
thyme
cilantro, scallion

Saute onion for a few minutes, and then turn down and let brown a little.
Add potatoes and stock, and cook until potatoes are done. Mix in the thyme, curry, and coconut milk.
Blend half the soup, mix back together, and add the chicken if raw.
Once cooked, add the corn and simmer until cooked through. Finish with herbs and sugar, if needed.

Potato Salad with Chiles, Cilantro, and Cumin

Potato Salad with Chiles, Cilantro, and Cumin
Makes 8 servings

1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 ears of corn, husked
3 large fresh poblano chiles + 1 jalapeno
1 large red bell peppers
2 teaspoons cumin seeds
2+ pounds unpeeled baby Yukon Gold potatoes
6 green onions, chopped
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Whisk vinegar and garlic in small bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil.
Season vinaigrette to taste with heavy salt and pepper.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Place corn, chiles, and bell peppers
on grill. Cover and grill until corn kernels are tender and chiles and
bell peppers are blackened on all sides, turning frequently, about 5
minutes for corn and 12 minutes for chiles and bell peppers. Transfer
vegetables to 2 baking pans. Cover chiles and bell peppers; let stand
until cool. Cut corn kernels off cobs; transfer to medium bowl. Peel,
seed, and coarsely chop chiles and bell peppers; add to bowl with corn.

Cook potatoes in large pot of boiling salted water just until tender when pierced with knife, about 20 minutes. Drain. Rinse under cold water. Drain and cool
slightly. Cut potatoes into 1/3- to 1/2-inch-thick slices. Transfer to
large bowl. Add grilled vegetables and vinaigrette; toss to coat. Add
cumin seeds, green onions, and cilantro and toss. Season generously with
salt and pepper. Cover; chill at least 2 hours.

Potato Salad with Corn, Tomatoes, and Lemon

Potato Salad with Corn, Tomatoes, and Lemon
Serves 8

2.5lbs red potatoes, larger chunks
3 ears corn, cooked and nibbletized
2 handful chopped basil
1 pint whole grape tomato
1 small red onion, thin 1/4 slices
salt pepper
Juice of 3 lemon
~1/2c olive oil
2 teaspoons dijon mustard

Boil potatoes. Mix with 1/2 lemon's juice, and cool.
Make vinaigrette with mustard, 2 lemons' juice, salt, pepper, and enough oil to make it come together properly. Add extra 1/2 lemon juice if needed.
Mix everything, cool, reseason, and serve.

Chipotle Avocado Pasta Salad

Chipotle Avocado Pasta Salad
Serves 6

1.75 lbs chicken breasts, boiled and shredded
3 chipotle+adobo, minced
1 pint Cherry tomatoes halved
3 Haas avocados pitted and diced
1/3-1.2c Ranch dressing
1/2 red onion diced
3 ears corn, roasted and nubbletized
1 tbsp fresh dill chopped
2 tsp red wine vinegar
Juice of 1 lime
2 tsp Worcestershire/soy
1 package fusilli pasta

Cook pasta in chicken stock leftover from cooking chicken.
Toss everything in a bowl.

Mexican Pasta Salad

mexican pasta salad
Serves 8.

1 pounds fusilli pasta
olive oil

Two cooked chicken breasts, meat shredded
1 bag cherry tomatoes, halved
~4-5 ears corn, roasted
1 can sliced olives
1/2 large red onion, chopped

4 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
4 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoon fresh lime juice
3 jalapeño chilies, seeded, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 large handful fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped

Cook fusilli pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Rinse pasta with cold water to cool. Drain pasta well. Transfer pasta to large bowl. Add shredded chicken or turkey, tomatoes, corn kernels, olives and chopped onion and toss.
Mix Dijon mustard and fresh lime juice in small bowl. Gradually mix in 2/3 cup olive oil. Mix in minced jalapeño chilies, chili powder and ground cumin. Add dressing and chopped fresh cilantro to salad and mix to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Salsa for Tomato Haters

I don't like tomatoes! Raw, big pieces, etc. Tomato based salsas never get better than "good" for me.

Black Bean and Corn Salsa (or Salad)

1 can Corn
1 can Kuner's Black Beans with Jalpeno/Lime (important, no plain beans allowed)
1 Red Pepper, small dice
1/2 red onion, thing half-moons
1 Jalapeno, minced
1 handful cilantro, chooped
2t Cumin
Salt/Pepper
Juice of a Lime
Olive Oil (Until it feels right - maybe 2-3 tablespoons.)

Mix everything. Let sit and chill for a while before eating. Make sure you season.