Sunday, August 12, 2012

Smoky Strawberry and Corn Salsa


Jerry Seinfeld once argued that cinnamon should have a rightful spot in the pantheon of tabletop spices, standing right next to salt and pepper.  Yes, once again, I am referencing an episode of Seinfeld.  I am that topical with my pop culture references - Seinfeld, MASH, Alanis Morissette.  This, among other things, I take as evidence that we are old at heart.  

But I am in complete agreement with Jerry about cinnamon.  It definitely deserves to stand proudly next to the salt and pepper on tables everywhere.  Lately, however, I feel like I would add something else to that mix, and it may be a bit surprising... strawberries.  Apparently I've become quite smitten with them, adding them to everything from pate to breakfast sandwiches to black bean wraps to muffins - and now salsa.  This salsa omits tomatoes entirely in favor of strawberries, and when I say salsa, yes, I mean for chip dipping.  Sweet, spicy, smoky, and sour, it's a surprisingly great match, and the fact that it looks a bit like regular salsa is a fun play on the senses.  Just one more example to convince me that strawberries can be used almost anywhere to make something better.

Ingredients  
1 cup corn kernels, either thawed if frozen or fresh
1 1/2 cups chopped strawberries
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons crumbled cotija cheese

Instructions  
This is super easy.  Just toss the corn, strawberries, and jalapeno in a bowl.  In a small bowl, stir together the liquid smoke, lemon juice, and lemon zest.  Toss with the corn and berries, then stir in the cotija cheese.  Serve with chips.

44 comments:

  1. Sweet, spicy, smoky, and sour....a party of flavours!

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  2. Definitely a party of flavors, this sounds spicy good.

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  3. This sounds amazing! Would love to have it with a BBQ.

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  4. Oh mah gawd. I want it, I want it, I want it.

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  5. Long live all Seinfeld references! :D
    He was definitely onto something with the cinnamon...this salsa looks amazing!

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  6. This salsa sounds amazing! I am loving strawberries and sweet corn this summer, and combining them in a salsa is genious :)!

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  7. This looks like the perfect summer appetizer! Great use for liquid smoke!

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  8. oh wow! This salsa looks amazing! Great flavour combination. Must make this soon :)

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  9. This really sounds incredible. Fruit salsas are my favorite, yet I don't think I've ever had one with strawberries!

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  10. I wholeheartedly agree with you (and Jerry) on both the cinnamon and the strawberry front! I'm LOVING this salsa!

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  11. sweet, smoky and sour - just the correct combination for a salsa! Absolutely stunning I say!

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  12. Ahumada segura queda muy bien.
    Un saludito

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  13. This salsa sounds amazing! Love the flavors!

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  14. This salsa looks super delicious :D
    Loving the strawberry!

    Cheers
    Choc Chip Uru

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  15. Never thought of mixing corn with strawberry. Interesting mix fruit and veggie.
    - allison

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  16. You had me at cotija! SERIOUSLY! And smoke?!?!? Mamma mia! (And ironically enough, I made spicy peach and corn salsa yesterday!!!)

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  17. I love that you reference Seinfeld! The other day I tweeted "These pretzels are makin' me thirsty!" and got a ton of replies - cracked me up. LOVE this yummy salsa! I'm pinning it right now!

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  18. Wow! I would have never thought of putting strawberries in for a savory salsa, but I bet this is really good!

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  19. Such a creative and super refreshing spin on salsa!

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  20. You are not alone, Actually strawberries tastes good in sweet and savory dishes. I like your creative salsa.

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  21. Yum, this salsa sounds awesome! And I definitely agree with you that strawberries make everything better, and with Jerry that cinnamon makes everything better :)

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  22. Oh man! This salsa would be so tasty in sandwiches ! And the colors are beautiful too!!

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  23. This recipe is really jam packed full of flavours! Love the sound the smokiness...so creative!

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  24. Fantastic salsa - strawberrys are versitile and I agree they improve things. I am loving fresh summer corn right now too.

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  25. This is a great salsa! I love corn and I love strawberries, but never thought to put them together in a salsa. Definitely going on my to-make list!

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  26. oh this is so summery, perfect to tuck into this month, before we have to say goodbye to the heat.

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  27. I agree with cinnamon and think your salsa is amazing!

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  28. Wow, I love your salsa! Strawberry and corn are my family's favorite, yet never made salsa with both of them! Summer hasn't over yet and we are still grilling. Thank you for this wonderful recipe. Can't wait to try this. Adding liquid smoke is a great idea!

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  29. Gorgeous salsa!Love the fresh flavors and strawberry and corn sound so good together :)Will be trying it for sure :)

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  30. Wonderful combination of flavors and colors! It looks delicious!

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  31. What a great recipe. I don't think I would have ever thought to combine strawberries and corn, but it looks wonderful!

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  32. I love your description of this! I am a Seinfeld freak - in real life he loves cinnamon almost as much as me!

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  33. Sweet and smoky that's my kind of salad!

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  34. Oh girl, I am with you and Jerry on the cinnamon. I LOVE cinnamon and often double (or triple?) it in recipes. This is a gorgeous and perfect summer salsa that I am anxious to try!

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  35. We must be from a similar generation of pop culture references. This salsa looks a little sweet, a little spicy--perfection!

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  36. What a great and sweet twist on salsa!

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  37. I'm going to need this dip in my life. I love the combination of strawberries and liquid smoke. Yum!

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  38. Jenn, the colours are gorgeous and so inviting!! I've never had Cotija cheese but it sounds exotic and yummy!

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  39. This looks wicked delicious. So original and delish.

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  40. Mmmmmm. What a lovely and colorful salsa! Looks delicious and inviting.

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  41. This salsa looks so good...I am not a big fan of tomatoes...so I usually skip those, this is a good replacement!

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