Sweet corn and Hatch chile salsa can be served as a summer side dish, or scooped up with chips ~ we can’t stop eating it!
sweet corn and Hatch chile salsa is a house favorite!
This is my kind of food. I honestly could eat it for every meal of the day. It’s another salsa/summer side salad hybrid like my Cowboy Caviar Recipe. There are so many things you can do with it, starting with the obvious, chips, but you can also serve it alongside grilled chicken, steak, or fish. It would be heaven on a taco, and of course there’s always the grab a spoon and eat it right out of the bowl method.
The fresh corn is barely steamed, just enough to take the raw edge off ~ the smokey chilies are roasted, skinned and finely chopped ~ the lime is bright and juicy ~ the cilantro sharp and fresh ~ and the bacon is meaty and crisp. This salsa is a symphony of flavors in a bowl.
related: Roasted Corn Dip
what are Hatch chiles?
Hatch chilies from New Mexico have a cult following, and they have a very short growing season from August through September, so you have to grab them while you can. I’ve sung their praises in other posts, like my Cheesy Hatch Green Chile Dip and my Slow Cooked Hatch Pepper Chili.
Hatch chilies come in hot or mild form, so use whatever your preference. If you cannot find Hatch chilies, you can use other similar peppers from the produce section. Anaheim or Poblano peppers would work, and you can always ask the product manager. You can also used canned or frozen Hatch chilies.
tips for roasting Hatch chile peppers in the oven
Peppers are often roasted because it brings out flavor, and their skin can be tough when cooked. It’s VERY easy to roast your own peppers, whether they are Hatch or any other variety.
- Put the chiles in a single layer on a baking sheet or broiler safe pan. Place the pan in the upper rack and broil on high until the peppers are charred.
- Take them out and wrap them in plastic or put them in a zip lock baggie and let them steam for a short bit.
- When they’ve cooled, the skins will peel off easily using your fingers or by scraping a knife along the skin. I like to leave a little of the blackened bits on for flavor, but you don’t have to. Then you can slice them open to remove the seeds. Your roasted peppers are ready to use!
Featured comment:
“This is divine! You don’t even miss the tomatoes! I had frozen hatch chilies that I roasted last season and just used those & they worked perfectly. I loved the new way to steam corn in the microwave-pure genius! I made this for my family and friends who are all Mexican and live on the Tex/Mex border and we loved this!”
GENEVIEVE
Sweet Corn and Hatch Chile Salsa
Ingredients
- 4 ears sweet corn
- 6 green onions, thinly sliced (green and white parts)
- 8 slices thick cut bacon, cooked until crisp, then chopped or crumbled into small pieces
- 3 Hatch chiles, roasted, peeled, and finely chopped (see instructions below)
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro
- juice of 2 limes
- salt and fresh cracked black pepper
Instructions
- Put the chilies on a baking sheet and set the pan on the rack closest to the broiler flame. Broil on high for about 10 minutes, or until the chilies are blackened. Put the hot chilies in a zip lock baggie and let steam for 15 minutes. Remove the peppers and peel away the skin. Finely chop the flesh, and put in a large mixing bowl, seeds and all.
- Wrap the ears of corn in a clean kitchen towel and microwave for 3 minutes. Remove the husks and silk and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Dry.
- Remove the corn kernels with a sharp knife and add to the bowl. Add the green onions and bacon.
- Remove the cilantro leaves from the stems and chop them finely. Add the cilantro to the bowl, along with the lime juice. Toss well, and season to taste with salt and fresh cracked black pepper.
- Refrigerate the salsa until ready to use.
Notes
- I think a brief steaming brings out the flavor of corn, but if you have some fabulously fresh ears and you love it raw, go ahead and use it that way. You might even want to roast your corn for another level of flavor.
- While you can use canned or frozen chilies in this salsa, I don’t recommend using frozen or canned corn ~ the corn has to be fresh ~ just trust me on this one 😉
Nutrition
This is divine! You don’t even miss the tomatoes! I had frozen hatch chilies that I roasted last season and just used those & they worked perfectly. I loved the new way to steam corn in the microwave-pure genius! I made this for my family and friends who are all Mexican and live on the Tex/Mex border and we loved this!
I’m so glad this has been approved by experts Genevieve ~ I’m eagerly awaiting the new Hatch chile crop!