What’s in Season: Esquites – Mexican Street Corn Salad

You don't have to love fruits and vegetables to take advantage of the local farmer's market. Do it to support local business and farmers; do it if reducing your carbon footprint is a concern to you; or do it to try a new recipe using produce you can certain of its freshness and quality. This month's featured ingredient is the diet staple around the world that is corn. Central to Mexican cuisine, corn appears in almost every dish. This adaption of this easy to made corn salad recipe is based on the Mexican street food recipe esquites, enhancing the grain's natural sweetness some creamy, cheesy goodness, along with a little bit of heat. If you feel the need to hire an authentic Mexican to make this for you in order to enjoy it, do whatever you have to do to make yourself comfortable, but please do not bring your cultural appropriation guilt here.

Ingredients:

Kernels from 4-5 ears of corn (3 cups of frozen corn can also be used)
60 g feta (cotija or ricotta salata cheese if possible), finely crumbled
60 g cilantro, minced
30 g  mayonnaise
5 g ancho chili powder
30 mL of a neutral cooking oil (I used canola)
15 mL fresh lime juice (about ½ a lime)
1 clove of garlic, pressed
1 small or ½ 1 large jalapeno, minced

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the corn and a pinch of salt, and leave it alone for two to three minutes, allowing the corn to char. Toss, stir and repeat until charred on all sides for about eight to ten minutes in total. 
2. Transfer the corn to a large mixing bowl. Add the remaining ingredients to the corn, and stir until everything has been blended together. Salt to taste, and serve immediately as either a side dish or on its own.
   
   Note: The corn can be cooked up to a day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring the corn to room temperature for about 15 minutes before you assemble the salad.
   
   Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Esquites – Mexican Street Corn Salad

Throwback Thursday: Deep-fried Mars Bars and SuperEx Memories

For people of a certain age, a bittersweet reminder that summer was ending was the start of SuperEX. Officially known as the Central Canada Exhibition, the EX brought exhibits and amusement park rides to Lansdowne Park every August from 1888 until 2010, pausing only during World War 2. The EX offered a lot for the people of Ottawa to see and do, whether it was seeing their first farm animals at the Cattle Castle (the Aberdeen Pavilion's old nickname); seeing the CJOH six o'clock news team broadcast live; or seeing their favorite musical acts on the stage they set up on the football field for a run of concerts. My memories of the SuperEx include the time my mom won a giant Papa Smurf stuffed doll at a ring toss game; running throughout the Midway with my boys during our adolescence; and the carnival food I tried on a double date on what turned out to be the EX's last year. I had heard that the deep-fried Mars bar, a dessert created in Scotland, would be available, and the buzz about it was good, as people were raving about it. I was skeptical about how a chocolate bar would hold up to being dunked in hot oil, and I was surprised at how well the shell-like batter crust held everything together, insulating the chocolate bar from coming into direct contact with the hot oil, and allowing the caramel and nougat inside to get all warm and gooey. I enjoyed it as much as my friend did his bison burger, but he definitely had the healthier choice. I now rely on the Capital Fair for my son to build his own summer memories of going to the fair, and the recipe below to create this decadent dessert. It's great on its own or served with a bowl of ice cream.

Ingredients:

12-15 snack size Mars bars (or whatever your favourite chocolate bar is)
1 egg
700 mL canola or other light oil for frying
180 mL milk
170 g flour
30 g sugar
10 g baking powder
2.5 g teaspoon salt
powdered sugar (optional)

1. Heat the canola oil to 190°C. While the oil is heating up, mix the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl. 
2. In another bowl, whisk the milk and egg together and add the mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir until the batter is smooth.
3. Working in batches of 3-4 at a time, dip the chocolate bars in the batter and carefully place them in the hot oil. Cook until lightly browned and then flip and brown the other side, 3-4 minutes in total. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining bars. Dust very lightly with powdered sugar if desired.

Microwave Oven Hacks

Everyone has access to a microwave oven in a kitchen, but are you using it in the best way possible? Thanks to this handy guide from the good people at PartSelect, you can maximize your use of this time-saving appliance, whether you're reheating a beverage, or cooking a meal.