Why eat corn straight off of the cob, when you can have it grilled and transformed into this sweet and spicy honey and lime corn salad? A touch of honey, a squeeze of lime, a few finely chopped jalapeños, and a handful of crumbly Mexican queso fresco cheese help to transform ordinary corn on the cob into something almost magical.
You may have noticed from my past corn salad recipes, including Shrimp & Corn Salad with Chesapeake Seasoning, Smoky Ground Cumin & Paprika Corn Salad, Roasted Corn Salad with Chile Vinaigrette, White Balsamic Blueberry, Corn, and Feta Salad, and Mexican Street Corn Salad, that I am not the kind of girl who likes to eat my corn straight off of the cob. Nope, I guarantee that I’m definitely not that kind of girl. To me, corn on the cob is messy and icky, and eating it is just not how I envision my time well spent on a gorgeous summer day. I mean, seriously, who wants to hang out with corn guts all over their face for the rest of the day after chowing down at a picnic or cookout? Not me. I want that corn cut right off of the cob into a big ol’ pile on my plate. And yeah, you better believe that I’ll take the time to do it right in front of your face, and most likely chuck the offensive cob out into the yard for a few critters to enjoy right after. Classy, right? Yup, I’m definitely that kind of girl.
Ingredients:
- 8 Ears of Corn
- 1/2 Cup Fresh Parsley, Very Finely Chopped
- 2 Limes, Zest & Juice
- 2 Tablespoons Honey
- 1/4 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 Teaspoon Paprika
- 2 to 4 Jalapeños, Very Finely Chopped
- 4 oz. Queso Fresco, Crumbled
Directions:
- Remove the husk and silk from each corn cob, making sure to clean off as much residual silk as possible. Grill the corn over medium heat a few minutes per side until charred. Place the corn on a plate or platter, cover with foil, and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes.
- Place a small bowl upside down inside of a larger bowl. Place the end of a corn cob on top of the small bowl and then cut down with a serrated knife. The corn kernels fall into the larger bowl and don’t end up all over your kitchen counter. Simply remove the small bowl when you are finished cutting the corn off of all of the cobs.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the parsley, lime zest, lime juice, honey, pepper, and paprika. Pour the mixture over the cut corn and stir well to combine.
- Add the chopped jalapeños and crumbled queso fresco and gently stir to combine.
- Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until use.
Suggestions:
- The corn will take approximately 3 to 5 minutes per side to grill, depending on the heat of your grill. You want the corn kernels to soften slightly and develop a little bit of char. Do not over-grill the corn or it will dry it out.
- If you would like to make this recipe with frozen corn, you will need approximately 6-cups of frozen corn kernels. Over medium-high heat, sauté the corn in a large skillet until softened. Allow the corn to cool for 30 minutes before assembling the salad.
- The amount of chopped jalapeño in this recipe will depend on how much spice you like. I used four jalapeños in this recipe, however, my jalapeños were very small and not extremely spicy. Every jalapeño is different, so make sure to do a small taste test before use.
- Queso fresco is a slightly tangy, white, mild, soft, and crumbly Mexican fresh cheese. While you can find it at most grocery stores, I suggest looking at your local international grocery store for it. Their versions taste better and are often much fresher. If you can’t find queso fresco, I suggest trying this recipe with feta or goat cheese.
- If you don’t plan on serving this corn salad right away, I suggest adding the cheese right before serving. That way, the cheese does not become overly-saturated by the honey and lime dressing.
Improvements:
- If you don’t like jalapeños, replace them with chopped scallions.
- Whisk 2-tablespoons of mayonnaise into the dressing for a creamier corn salad.
- Add a few tablespoons of very finely chopped red onion to the salad.
- Check out all of Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck’s past corn salad recipes: Shrimp & Corn Salad with Chesapeake Seasoning, Smoky Ground Cumin & Paprika Corn Salad, Roasted Corn Salad with Chile Vinaigrette, White Balsamic Blueberry, Corn, and Feta Salad, and Mexican Street Corn Salad.
Ingredients:
- 8 Ears of Corn
- 1/2 Cup Fresh Parsley, Very Finely Chopped
- 2 Limes, Zest & Juice
- 2 Tablespoons Honey
- 1/4 Teaspoon Finely Ground Black Pepper
- 1/4 Teaspoon Paprika
- 2 to 4 Jalapeños, Very Finely Chopped
- 4 oz. Queso Fresco, Crumbled
Directions:
- Remove the husk and silk from each corn cob, making sure to clean off as much residual silk as possible. Grill the corn over medium heat a few minutes per side until charred. Place the corn on a plate or platter, cover with foil, and allow to rest for at least 30 minutes.
- Place a small bowl upside down inside of a larger bowl. Place the end of a corn cob on top of the small bowl and then cut down with a serrated knife. The corn kernels fall into the larger bowl and don’t end up all over your kitchen counter. Simply remove the small bowl when you are finished cutting the corn off of all of the cobs.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the parsley, lime zest, lime juice, honey, pepper, and paprika. Pour the mixture over the cut corn and stir well to combine.
- Add the chopped jalapeños and crumbled queso fresco and gently stir to combine.
- Serve immediately or cover and refrigerate until use.
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