Is there anything more quintessentially summer than bbq corn?
I love a good BBQ corn. Just straight up with a squeeze of lemon is honestly my favourite way to eat BBQ corn. Until I discovered this recipe! This is next level addictive! It is the perfect combo of sweet, smokey, tangy and spicy all in one! The secret is in the chipotle crema which is essentially a creamy chipotle mayo based dressing. The natural sweetness of the corn works really well with the tangy spice in the crema dressing. This is one that you will be coming back to over and over again!
How to make a Chipotle Crema
The secret ingredient in this chipotle crema is chipotle in adobo sauce which you will find at any grocery store that carries Mexican ingredients. It will be near where the refried beans and other canned ingredients are. If you can’t find chipotles you could use red chilli powder and smoked paprika to emulate the smokey flavour, but honestly the chipotles in adobo really make a difference to the flavour if you can find it!
The ingredients in a chipotle crema are:
- Chipotle in adobo sauce
- Lime zest & juice
- Mayo
- Sour cream
- Salt & pepper to taste
This recipe will make lots of crema. It will keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge in an airtight container. Use it on tacos, as a dip or make more BBQ corn salad. Trust me you wont be able to stop at one batch!
BBQ Corn Salad with Chipotle Crema
Ingredients
- 6 large ears of corn shucked
- 2 Tbsp olive oil plus more for drizzling
- salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 small bunch scallions thinly sliced
- 1 cup fresh cilantro roughly chopped, plus more for garnish
- ½ cup crumbled cotija cheese or sub feta cheese
- Tajin seasoning for garnish optional
For the Chipotle Crema
- ⅓ cup mayonnaise
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1-2 chipotles in adobe plus more to taste
- 1 lime zested and juiced, plus more for serving
Instructions
- If using an oven, place rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to a high broil. If using a grill, preheat to medium high.
- Place corn on sheet pan and drizzle with oil, salt, and black pepper. Rub to coat evenly. If using the oven, place the sheet pan under the broiler until the corn is charred on all sides, 2-3 minutes per side, depending on the strength of your broiler. If using a grill, cook on all sides until lightly charred, 2-3 minutes per side.
- While the corn cooks, make the dressing: Using a tall glass (mason jar) and an immersion blender or in the bowl of a food processor or blender, combine mayonnaise, sour cream, chipotles in adobo, lime zest, and juice. Blend until smooth and creamy. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add more chipotles for more heat, if desired. Set aside.
- Let the corn cool slightly before cutting away kernels from the cob. Use a large shallow bowl to help catch any runaway kernels, hold the cob upright in the middle of the bowl and use a sharp knife to slice off the kernels. Rotate and continue to cut off the kernels of all the corn.
- In a large bowl, mix corn kernels, scallions, cilantro, and half of the cheese. Toss with a few Tbsps of dressing (you will have leftover). Season with salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lime, if needed.
- Serve in a shallow bowl or platter and top with remaining cheese, extra cilantro, a drizzle of olive oil, and sprinkle of Tajin (if using). Serve immediately. Leftovers will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Leftover chipotle crema is great on tacos, as a dip for nachos! Or just more corn salad, because just one batch is never enough! 🙂
