Yesterday’s post was about roasting corn using your gas grill. Hopefully you will have some leftover corn. Or you can easily roast more. And, while the corn is on the grill, do a few poblano peppers. You are going to need them.
You’ll find recipes for this relish/salsa on the web and in many cookbooks. The principal ingredients are listed below in the recipe. The list is commonly 5 ears of corn, 4 scallions, 4 poblanos, 1 red bell pepper and 2 avocados. I think those relative numbers give you strong visual appeal. But there is nothing sacred about these proportions.
And nothing sacred about the ingredients themselves. Instead of the scallions, you can use diced red onion. Some yellow or green bell pepper can be employed. And I’ve seen versions of this recipe calling for garlic and cumin [1 full tablespoon!] and red pepper flakes [only 1 teaspoon], some cilantro, and lime juice. Feel free to amend and extend the basic recipe below.
Often the call is for this dish to be served at room temperature. I’ve done that and offered chilled as well. It can be a side dish to accompany some protein main entry, or you can offer it up with chips for an appetizer. This is a dish with multiple purposes. It has, particularly when just made, a sharp, zippy flavor. That brightness will elevate any main course you select to pair it with.
While the recipe talks about ¼-inch you should not obsess. Having different sized pieces does, I think, just add to the zig zag visual appeal.
Avocado Corn Relish/Salsa
Yield: ~ cups or about 8 modest servings
Ingredients:
4-6 ears corn
4 scallions
4 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, seeded, diced into ¼-inch pieces
1 large red bell pepper, with the seeds removed, the membrane cut away and diced into ¼‑inch pieces
2 avocados, skinned, pits removed and diced into ¼‑inch pieces
¼ cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup olive oil
Salt freshly ground black pepper
Preparation:
Cook the corn as your prefer. I suggest grilling it because you need the grill to roast those poblanos.
After the corn has cooled, after the poblanos have been cut in diced portions, remove the corn kernels and mix the corn and chiles in a glass bowl.
Slice the scallions and add to the bowl along with the avocados and red bell pepper.
Add some, but not all, of the olive oil and red wine vinegar. Stir to mix, season with salt and pepper and taste test. Add more oil or vinegar and more salt and pepper to suit your taste.
Enjoy this first when it is just completed, freshly prepared with the flavors radiant. Refrigerate any leftovers and enjoy again the next day, either warmed or cold.
Source: Brian O’Rourke with inputs from many websites; I believe the genesis of this recipe does belong to The Border Grill in Los Angeles
Photo Information: Canon T2i, EFS 60mm Macro Lens, F/4 for1/30th second at ISO‑400