Easy Elotes Salad

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*Acts like I haven’t been away since Easter* Hey ya’ll! I know, I know. Look, I’m sorry. Lol. I haven’t been posting as many recipes because in good news, I’ve been so busy! Between starting to take on full responsibility of my new role at my full time job and the opportunities that have come to LizeeAngel, it’s been a lot. If you follow me on Instagram and/or Facebook, then you would know that I was selected as the host of McCormick Spice’s digital series Flavor Makers season 4. If you do not know, then that means you aren’t following me and definitely SHOULD be! I am so excited and overjoyed and grateful for this opportunity and now that I’m back into the swing of life, I have many more recipes that I’ll be posting here as well as continuing to post on Instagram! Starting with this DELICIOUS and incredibly easy elotes salad. Literally. There’s a little cutting and chopping, but for the most part, it’s mixing together! The flavor is spot on with the corn you get right from a street vendor, with a tangy crema based sauce and flavors of cilantro, cotija cheese and Tajin. I promise you your mouth will thank you for making this elotes salad! OH!! I made a video for this recipe AND I have a really fun giveaway. Read until the end for details! Ok into the inspo…

THE INSPIRATION

The inspiration for this salad comes straight from visits to LA and Mexico. Walking down the street and grabbing food from the vendors, you’re sure to come across an Elotes vendor! A plump cob of corn on a stick (or the end of the stalk), that’s cooked until the corn kernels are tender and then slathered with a mayo based sauce, and sprinkled with cotija cheese, lime juice and chili powder. At least that’s the way I had it! So when I thought to make food for a cookout (I mean, it is bbq season!), I knew I had to make something that was easy to make, able to feed many and could be kept food safe without losing it’s integrity. I immediately knew a scoopable version of Elotes would be the perfect thing to bring in sweet, summer corn and stand up against grilled meats with it’s complexity of flavors. Let’s discuss the details to go more in depth with the ingredients

THE DEETS

Traditional elotes as I described earlier is a very simple blend of ingredients that gives a complex flavor. I wanted to bring some tanginess to this dish as many cookout dishes have rich flavors from the grill, seasoning blends and sauces. To do this, I mixed mayo with Mexican crema to give a great base for the salad. I then added a few more ingredients than I had on my street corn whenever I’ve gotten them from stands, but because this is a salad so it needs a few more ingredients to round it out. One “controversial” ingredient are tomatoes. I am a southerner and tomatoes are just something we eat and throw in many, many things. Especially in the summer when they’re ripe for picking. I was told when i was testing the recipe on Instagram, however, that tomatoes do not go in Elotes. To that I say, make it without and eat a little with a tomato. If you like it, chop up a tomato and add it in. It’s a salad, and I say there’s a strong case FOR tomatoes here. After mixing the sauce, I like to refrigerate it to allow the flavors to meld and come together as intended. You can do this up to a few days ahead to really get the best flavor one you mix the corn. Speaking of corn, I like to throw mine on the grill when other things are cooking to allow it to get tender and a bit caramelized, bringing out the sweetness of the vegetable. If you aren’t grilling, but still want that great corn flavor, I suggest boiling/steaming the corn, then finishing by roasting to bring out that caramelized flavor. From there, cut it off of the cob and mix it in the sauce. Top with additional cilantro, cotija, tajin and if going for presentation, corn kernels. Then serve and watch the people go mad! Below are a few tips for the most successful dish, then the recipe to serve this up at your next cookout!

TIPS FOR MAKING

Like I said in the intro, this is a very simple recipe. So simple, I captured it all in a 30 second video! Here are a few tips to make this go super easy!

• If you’re grilling, throw your corn on the top rack in indirect heat to cook it through, then grill on direct heat for 2-3 mins to get some caramelization on those kernels. if cooking indoors, steam/boil for 5-7 minutes then roast under the broiler for 1-2 mins until you get caramelization. Allow to cool slightly before cutting and adding to sauce.
• If even seeded and membranes removed jalapeños are a little too spicy for you, sauté your chopped jalapeño for 3 mins. This will tame the heat and make it more tolerable for you.
• Make your sauce ahead up to 2 days before to allow the flavors to come together. Also, when cutting the corn from the cob, use a tall bowl to catch the flying kernels and keep them from popping off of the counter onto the floor!

You made it to the end! Fantastic, this is where I tell you if you visit THIS POST you can enter for a chance to win $100 towards your Memorial Day BBQ! All of the rules are in the description, just follow them to be entered! Now go ahead and make this and be the star of the cookout!

Don’t forget to tag me in your photos online @lizeeangel or using #lizeeangel. And as always, comment below and please, like, share and follow me on youtube, instagram, twitter, facebook and pinterest!