Mexican Roasted Chili Lime Corn Salad →

Full of flavor, crunchy-sweet, tangy-fresh, and colorful, this side dish is not your average corn salad. The grilled corn takes it to another level and makes it my favorite 5 TastesTable corn salad. Make it a “twofer” by grilling and enjoying Mexican Roasted Chili Lime Corn for one meal and use any leftover corn to make this amazing salad. Congratulations!

Serves 4
Ingredients:

• 1/4 c. chopped red onion

• 1/2 teaspoon grated lime zest

• 2 tablespoons lime juice

• 2 tablespoons olive oil

• 3/4 cup seeded chopped tomato

• 1 1/2 cups Roasted Chili Lime Corn

• ½ teaspoon minced jalapeño (more if you want more heat)

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish

• ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

• Extra cilantro and crumbled Cotija cheese (optional garnish)

  *Note: if you can’t find Cotija, Feta cheese can be used as an alternative.

Preparation:

1. Combine all the ingredients and gently toss.

2. Optional: garnish with extra cilantro and crumbled Cotija.

Asparagus and Tomato Salad →

Meo culpa! When I was a child, we had a patch of asparagus growing in the backyard. I didn’t particularly like asparagus then and for years I diligently mowed down that asparagus every year, but the hardy grass that it is, it kept coming back year after year! My tastes have changed over the years. Now I love asparagus and I’m lucky enough to live next door to Hadley, Massachusetts where they grow world-famous Hadley Asparagus. Every Spring we eagerly await the first batches of asparagus to arrive at the local farm stands. Local asparagus snobs say asparagus isn’t worth eating if it’s more than a day or two old. Whether or not you buy into that perspective, this refreshing salad is best made with really fresh asparagus. If you can’t get fresh local asparagus and have to rely on supermarket asparagus from far away, try coating the asparagus with a bit of olive oil and grill or bake it until crisp-tender.

Serves 4
Ingredients:

• 1 pound asparagus

• 1/3 cup coarsely grated Cotija cheese (or substitute fried Halloumi, or Feta)

• 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes

• Torn basil leaves for garnish

Vinaigrette:

• ¼ cup white wine vinegar (or rice wine vinegar)

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

• 1 grated or finely minced garlic clove

• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt (to taste)

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Preparation:

1. Steam the asparagus until barely fork tender. (about 3-4 minutes)
2. Toss the asparagus and tomatoes with vinaigrette to coat.
3. Sprinkle the cheese on top and garnish with torn basil leaves
4. Salt and pepper to individual taste

Wine pairing: I prefer Sauvignon Blanc with asparagus. Here’s what “Food and Wine Magazine” has to say about wine and asparagus: https://www.foodandwine.com/vegetables/asparagus/the-truth-about-wine-and-asparagus