Here, the combination of cilantro in two forms—fresh green leaves and crushed seeds (called coriander), which have a distinct flavor of their own—is a perfect example of the dimensions of taste that Jesús teaches his students. This colorful salad is a burst of Mexican tastes using all Tres Estrellas’ summer stars: barely cooked sweet corn, waves of dark green, peppery arugula leaves to wake up your taste buds, and a tangy, creamy dressing. Red radishes add color. Look for unusual radish varieties like lovely pink and green watermelon radishes.
Yield : Serves 6
Ingredients
- 4 to 5 ears large sweet corn, shucked and silk removed
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cups baby arugula, stemmed
- 12 large radishes, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, crushed
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Yogurt dressing:
- ¼ cup yogurt
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar or cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon ground chipotle (optional)
Directions
1. With a sharp knife, cut all the kernels from the cobs. You should have about 4 cups.
2. In a 10-inch sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the corn, cover, and sauté 2 to 5 minutes, until tender. Set aside to cool.
3. In a large bowl, mix the corn, arugula, radishes, coriander, and cilantro. Cover and chill for 1 hour.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, vinegar, mustard, and salt until well blended. Gradually whisk in the remaining 1½ tablespoons of oil until emulsified, and add the chipotle, if desired. The dressing may be made ahead of time and refrigerated for up to 1 hour.
5. Just before serving, toss the salad with half the dressing. Add more dressing to taste.
Notes
Cilantro bolts (flowers) quickly in the heat, so you can easily harvest and dry your own fresh coriander seed.
Corn is the “mother” of Mexico–the foundation of their ancient culture, unique cuisine, and glorious mythology, more than 300 distinct varieties of corn have been identified in mexico alone. Teozintle, the wild maize from which all corn evolved, still grows in parts of the country.
While corn is most often eaten in the form of corn tortillas (made with nothing more than ground dried corn, lime, and water), fresh corn finds its way into traditional soups and pastels (casseroles), a favorite street food is corn on the cob grilled over charcoal with a squeeze of lime and a dusting of chile powder, or cut from the cob and tossed with mayonnaise and cotija cheese, the ranch’s chefs roast, pan-sear, or grill corn until it is smoky and chewy, then use the cooked corn for chiles rellenos stuffing, delicious soups, and pureed sauces, or toss the tender kernels into salads.
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