Name: Southwestern Tomato and Corn Salad
Total time: 25 min
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: Southwest (Tex-Mex), US & Canada
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds ripe mixed tomatoes, cored; Salt and pepper; 1 ear corn, kernels cut from cob; 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 1 tablespoon minced shallot; 1 tablespoon minced jalapeño chile; 2 teaspoons lime juice; 2 ounces queso fresco, crumbled (½ cup); 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves

Why This Recipe Works

The key to this salad is choosing the best tomatoes and corn you can find; it's hard to beat ripe, sweet, in-season produce. We tried adding the corn to the salad three ways: blanched, sautéed, and raw. Tasters preferred the version with the raw kernels to the two others because the kernels added little bursts of sweetness that countered the acidic tomatoes. For a robust southwestern profile, we finished the salad with spicy minced jalapeño, a sprinkling of rich queso fresco, and some vibrant, fresh cilantro leaves.

Before You Begin

If queso fresco is unavailable, you can substitute farmer's cheese or a mild feta.

Instructions

Cut tomatoes into ½-inch-thick wedges, then cut wedges in half crosswise. Arrange tomatoes on large, shallow platter, alternating colors. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle corn over top.

Whisk oil, shallot, jalapeño, lime juice, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper together in medium bowl. Spoon dressing evenly over tomatoes. Sprinkle with queso fresco and cilantro. Serve.