Mesquite Charred Corn & Poblano Salsa

This recipe is for a cold salsa made with mesquite smoked fresh corn, poblano peppers, garlic, fire roasted tomatoes, cilantro & spices. I added chipotle in adobo sauce for ours, we like it a little kicked up!

This recipe requires the following ingredients:

• 4 ears of fresh corn
• 2 large poblano peppers
• canola or olive oil
• 1 pod of garlic
• 2 Tsp mesquite liquid smoke
• 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1 15oz can chopped fire roasted tomatoes, or fresh if you have them
• 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (leave out if you don't like the heat!)
• 1 tsp Texas Chili Blend, or your favorite chili powder
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 cup mesquite wood chips
• salt to taste

Mesquite Charred Corn & Poblano Salsa

• Shuck & remove silks from corn, rinse corn & poblano peppers & pat dry
• Rub corn & poblano peppers with oil, place in plastic zip bag with 1 tsp mesquite liquid smoke
• Let rest in fridge for 1 hour
• Soak mesquite wood chips in hot water with 1 tsp mesquite liquid smoke added . Soak 1 hour
• Drain wood chips. Heat gas or charcoal grill to high heat. Place wood chips in smoker box.
• Rub oil on outside of garlic pod
• When smoke is present, remove garlic & poblano peppers from plastic bag & place on center of grill
• Turn center burner to medium low to char for 2 minutes on each side, this should char the flesh, if not leave it several more minutes until it is charred
• Once the pepper is black, turn off center burner & cook corn & peppers over indirect heat to continue the smoking process
• Place garlic beside corn to smoke
• Limit how much the grill is open to retain the most smoke you can.
• Smoke for 15 more minutes at low heat
• Remove from grill on to a heat proof dish & let it cool on the kitchen counter.

• When corn has cooled to touch, remove corn from the cob by standing it on the flat end in a large bowl.
• Begin with knife at the top & cut from the cob, turning after each cut.  
• Continue to cut until all corn is off

                           

• Poblano peppers will char black, then you need to remove the charred skins, veins & seeds. Try to remove as much as possible.
• Slice into small strips, then chop into bite size pieces.
• Add to corn in bowl



• Roasted garlic will squeeze out of the papery skins without much effort
• Discard the papery skins then chop or mash & add garlic to salsa



• To the corn, poblanos, & garlic, add the chopped red onions, tomatoes, cilantro,chopped chipotles in adobo sauce & seasonings
• Add salt to taste.
• Finish by squeezing the juice of the lime over the dip
• Stir well to blend
• Cover with plastic wrap & place in fridge to chill at least 1 hour for the full flavor blend.
• Serve with your favorite chips. Great on taco's or burritos. Also a great topping for taco salads

Technology is a love-hate relationship

I have spent one whole week of my life working on a blog with Windows 2010. Having a new computer is already a challenge, not to mention all my files are in the wrong place. My husband would be glad to help, but Southern women tend to be a little stubborn and think we can do it ourselves. I am here today to confess...I can not do everything without help.  I was in a panic without my computer for a week, now I remember how pleasant and headache free that time was.

I can manage a team of medical professionals, a cafe of disgruntled staff, & deal with everyday stresses of life...but computer problems put me over the edge! Why is everything so precise? I am more of a pinch of this, pinch of that kind of person. I think very black & white about most issues, but computers are worse than I am!

Today was going to be a fabulous post about Guacamole & it's health benefits. That post will be forthcoming, but I have "techincal difficulties" to work out! Guacamole makes me happy..maybe I'll just go to the store and buy more ingredients and cook something else to write about...Maybe a fresh roma tomato salsa or tomatillo salsa? Now I'm smiling! Think my ADHD just kicked in, told the doctor the medication won't work if you enjoy a good flight of ideas every know and then.

Have a great day everyone, think I'm taking a technology time-out or this pretty cadillac laptop is going out the patio door! I still have my Blackberry so I'm okay..oops that would be technoloy too wouldn't it. Can't escape it, but I think I will just go try a little shopping therapy!!