Corn, Chile, Crema on Tomatoes

Tweet
Pin It

What interested me in this recipe is that it exemplifies the food ingredients indigenous or basic to the gastronomy of Mexico. Corn, Tomato, and Chile are Meso American native; Cilantro, Lime, Crema Mexicana, Cotija Cheese are basic to the Mexican kitchen.

Summer is when we find an abundance of fresh corn; It’s also the season for BBQ, so this recipe makes the perfect side dish for grilled meats. The recipe is courtesy of chef Michael Simon; however, I substitute roasted Hatch for Jalapeño because at this writing, it’s harvest time for Hatch in New Mexico.

Let’s get started.

Ingredients

Extra Virgin olive oil, for drizzling

4 ears sweet corn, husked, kernels cut from the cobs

1 tablespoon chile-lime seasoning (Tajin-see note below)

Juice and zest of 1 lime

1 jalapeño, seeded and minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup crema Mexicana

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

2 to 3 large garden tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices

Flaky sea salt to taste

2 scallions, thinly sliced

4 ounces grated Cotija cheese

Directions

Prepare a grill for indirect heat. If using a charcoal grill, build the hot coals on one side only. If using a gas grill, heat one side only. Heat the grill to medium-high.
Place a cast-iron pan or skillet over the direct-heat side of the grill. Drizzle in olive oil. Add the corn to the pan along with the chili-lime seasoning, lime zest, jalapeño, garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, over high heat until the corn is slightly charred, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the Mexican crema, lime juice, cilantro and more salt and pepper to taste and cook just until it’s warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Place tomato slices onto a serving dish and season with flaky sea salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Pour the corn mixture over the top of the tomatoes. Garnish with the scallions and Cotija.

Notes

Chile lime seasoning is a mixture of dehydrated lime zest, ground chiles and salt. You can use Tajin Brand commonly available in super markets or make your own. You can find on the internet many versions of home made recipes .

Buen Provecho