Here we are at the end of August, but since I live in Kentucky now, it’s more than midway through corn season. Corn arrives earlier here, although I cooked with it less this summer than usual. I’ll attribute that to the fact that I don’t have a farmstand right around the corner anymore.

Focusing on corn recipes from the archives this week reminds me that next week I need to add corn to my menus. Corn is one of the ingredients that evoke summer. Since summer’s end approaches quickly, I definitely need to eat more in the upcoming weeks.

My original local corn salsa post from August 2015

We are a little bit more than midway through corn season, so it is time to cook with it. All too soon we’ll have to switch to the bags of local corn we’ve frozen over the summer or, worse, turn to store-bought bags of frozen corn. However, corn season is here, so let’s enjoy its freshness for now! (Try my Mexican corn off the cob recipe, too.)

Last week I wanted to try something different, so I made sure we bought more ears of corn than the three of us would need. On the first night we cooked all of the ears on the grill and refrigerated the leftovers, still on the cob. The next night burritos were our main course, and some of leftover corn became this local corn salsa.

What I liked about this salsa:

• It had a nice crunchiness to it, much more than a typical tomato salsa.
• Although starchy from the corn, the generous amount of lime lightened it up.
• There were sparks of heat from the jalapeno, but it definitely was a mild salsa.
• This salsa could be eaten on its own as a salad.

What others may not like (all fixable):

• It is mild. You can add more jalapeno or other peppers.
• If it is heavier than you prefer, you could add tomatoes.

Local Corn Salsa

Michele Pesula Kuegler

A simple taco topping or side dish made with freshly picked corn

Print Recipe
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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Chilling Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course Topping

Servings 8

Ingredients

  

• 3 ears corn on the cob cooked
• 1 jalapeno
• 1/2 green bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons diced red onion
• 1 lime
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
• salt & pepper

Instructions

 

• Cut the kernels off of the cobs, and place in a large bowl.
• Remove seeds and ribs from jalapeno, then dice.
• Remove seeds and ribs from bell pepper, then dice.
• Add both peppers and red onion to bowl.
• Zest and juice the lime, and add to mixing bowl.
• Mince cilantro, and add to bowl.
• Mix well, then season with salt and pepper.
• Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but longer is better to allow flavors to meld.

Notes

*You can replace the fresh cilantro with 1 tablespoon of dried cilantro.

Keyword local corn on the cob, salsa recipe