I love corn salad, especially in the summer. I don’t like the taste of mayonnaise, though, and it’s a key ingredient in most corn salads–so I use buttery spread instead. Try this one out for a barbecue or picnic, it only takes about 10 minutes!
Great for picnics:
- Three 15-oz cans of corn, drained
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped small
- 2 tbsp lemon or lime juice
- 4 tbsp of butter, margarine, or your favorite buttery spread (I used Country Crock Original)
- 3-4 cloves of garlic, sliced
- 4 oz cotija cheese or similar (such as queso blanco, soft goat cheese, or feta), cubed small or crumbled
- 2 shallots, chopped fine
- 1 tbsp of your favorite bold spice mix (such as San Francisco Bay seasoning, Tequila Lime Blend, or Old Bay)
- A handful of fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
- 1/2 tsp salt
- Extra lemon or lime juice, to taste
- Tabasco, Frank’s Red Hot, Cholula hot sauce or similar, to taste
In a large pan, sautée the corn, bell pepper, lemon or lime juice, garlic, and 3 tbsp of spread on high heat for about five minutes, stirring frequently. Next, add the shallots to the pan and continue to stir frequently, cooking the mixture on high heat for a further 3-5 minutes, until the liquid evaporates and it starts to brown.
Turn the heat off and transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add the last tablespoon of spread, the cilantro, your spice mix, salt, and cheese. Stir everything together and add any additional lemon or lime juice and hot sauce to taste. This salad is great after a few hours in the fridge, and can be served on the next day if you want to make it ahead of time.
PhD Kitchen 