As the weather warms up and the days get longer here in Mississippi, the calendar starts to fill up with backyard barbecues, porch dinners, and casual get-togethers. A go-to side dish makes the perfect addition to these gatherings. When I’m building a side-dish to bring to an event, I look for crowd pleasing flavors that highlight in-season produce. Both jalapeños and sweet corn are showing up on farmer’s market shelves in May and June.
Jalapeños have a way of making food feel bright and alive, which is especially welcome this time of the year. Their crisp texture and mild-to-moderate spice are a great way to add texture and flavor to a side dish without increasing salt or fat. They are also low in calories and rich in vitamin C. These peppers are very versatile as well. They can be kept fresh and added to salsas, dips, and salads. They can be lightly sautéed and added to taco or fajita filling. But one of my favorite ways to use them is in a fresh hot sauce. This may sound like a time-consuming process but it is ready in about 30 minutes, keeps for a few weeks in the fridge, and beats any bottled hot sauce you can find at your local grocery store.
This homemade hot sauce is also the star ingredient in my street corn pasta salad. This pasta salad features roasted corn, ditalini pasta, and a creamy, spicy dressing. I choose ditalini pasta as the shape is similar to that of the corn niblets. Street corn (also known as elote) has its roots in Mexican cuisine and can be served on the cob or off. It also usually involves a creamy layer, crumbly cheese, chili powder, fresh lime juice, and cilantro. Corn is also a great source of nutrients like vitamin C and folate as well as magnesium and potassium. It’s also packed with antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin which support eye health. This pasta salad harnesses all of those flavors in a cool, crisp side dish perfect for Cinco de Mayo or your next backyard cookout.
Fresh Jalapeños Hot Sauce
8 oz, fresh jalapeños, stemmed and quartered
6 cloves, peeled garlic
1 small yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 Tablespoon, sugar
2 teaspoons, salt
1 cup, water
1 cup, white vinegar
Add the peppers, garlic, and onion to a skillet over medium high heat. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. You want the vegetables to get a little brown but do not burn the garlic. Add water, salt, and sugar and lower the heat to medium. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 minutes. Remove lid and add vinegar. Cook and cook for 15-20 minutes until veggies are tender and the liquid has reduced by half.
Add everything to a blender and puree. Store in airtight container in the fridge.
Street Corn Pasta Salad
12 oz, sweet corn niblets
1 Tablespoon, olive oil
1/3 cup, shallots, diced
2 jalapeños, de-seeded and diced
2 cups, dry ditalini pasta
¼ cup, mayonnaise
¾ cup, light sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
½ cup, homemade jalapeno hot sauce
½ teaspoon each of salt and pepper
1 teaspoon, chili powder
½ teaspoon, paprika
¼ cup, cotija cheese
¼ cup, cilantro, chopped (optional)
Fresh lime wedges
Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and cool. Add olive oil to a skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add corn niblets and cook for 6-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. You are trying to get a slight char on the corn. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Place corn, shallots, jalapeños, and pasta in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together the mayo, sour cream, hot sauce and spices. Pour dressing over the pasta salad and stir to combine. Top with crumbled cheese and chopped cilantro. Serve with fresh lime wedges for an added zing.
