Cast-Iron Charred Sweet Corn Salsa with Poblano & Double Citrus

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

The fast-casual corn salsa everyone piles into their burrito bowl, rebuilt properly at home: kernels blistered dry in a screaming cast-iron skillet so they pop and brown instead of steaming, a fire-blistered poblano for smoke, and a lemon-plus-lime double hit of acid that keeps it tasting bright for days. Sweet, smoky, barely spicy, and good on everything from tacos to grilled chicken to a bag of tortilla chips.

Ingredients

• 4 ears fresh sweet corn, husked (about 3 cups kernels)
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as grapeseed or canola
• 1 large poblano pepper
• 1 jalapeño, stemmed

• 1/2 cup finely diced red onion
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, leaves and tender stems
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 pinch sugar, only if the corn is starchy

Instructions

1. Stand each ear of corn in a wide bowl and cut the kernels off with a chef's knife, working around the cob in strips. Scrape the bare cobs with the back of the knife to release the sweet milk into the bowl. You want about 3 cups of kernels.
2. Char the chiles: set the poblano and jalapeño directly over a gas burner on high, turning with tongs every 1 to 2 minutes, until the poblano skin is blackened and blistered on all sides, 6 to 8 minutes, and the jalapeño is spotted black, 3 to 4 minutes. (No gas? Broil them on a foil-lined sheet 4 inches from the element, turning every 3 minutes, 10 to 12 minutes total.) Transfer to a bowl, cover with a plate, and steam 10 minutes.
3. While the chiles steam, heat a 10- or 12-inch cast-iron skillet over high heat for 3 full minutes, until a drop of water skitters and evaporates instantly. Add the oil, swirl, then add the corn in an even layer. Do not stir for 2 minutes — let it blister.
4. Toss once and continue cooking 4 to 6 minutes more, stirring only every minute or so, until roughly a third of the kernels are deeply browned and a few have popped. Slide the corn onto a sheet pan and spread it out to cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes. Spreading it out matters: corn left mounded in a hot skillet keeps steaming and turns soft.
5. Rub the blackened skin off the poblano with your fingers or a paper towel, then pull out the stem and seeds and cut the flesh into 1/4-inch dice. Scrape the jalapeño skin off too, then mince it — seeds and all for medium heat, seeds discarded for mild.
6. Rinse the diced red onion in a fine-mesh strainer under cold water for 20 seconds and shake it dry. This strips the raw sulfurous bite so the onion stays crisp and sweet in the finished salsa.
7. In a medium bowl, combine the cooled corn, diced poblano, minced jalapeño, red onion, cilantro, lime juice, lemon juice, salt, and cumin. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until evenly mixed.
8. Let the salsa sit 15 minutes at room temperature, then taste. Add more salt for sweetness, more lime for lift, and a pinch of sugar only if the corn tastes starchy rather than sweet. Serve at room temperature.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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