Name: Roasted Corn Salsa
Total time: 1 h 45 min
Ingredients: 1 pound plum tomatoes , cored and halved lengthwise; 2 ears corn , husks and silk removed, halved crosswise; 1 small onion , sliced into ½-inch-thick rounds; 1 poblano chile , stemmed, halved, and seeded; 1 jalapeño chile , stemmed, halved, and seeded; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 2 garlic cloves , peeled; 1 teaspoon table salt , divided; 2 tablespoons lime juice; 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper , plus extra for seasoning; 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves and stems

Why This Recipe Works

For the ultimate summer salsa, we used fresh peak-season corn. We started by charring plum tomatoes, poblano and jalapeño chiles, corn, onion, and garlic on a baking sheet under the broiler. By not rotating the ears of corn, we were able to get charred kernels with caramel notes as well as juicy, crunchy kernels. To minimize knife work, we pulsed the broiled onion and chiles in a food processor before stirring in the corn, and for a smooth salsa base, we used the processor to puree our broiled tomatoes and garlic with lime juice and cayenne. Finally, we stirred everything together and finished with a fistful of chopped fresh cilantro.

Before You Begin

This salsa can be served with chips or as an accompaniment to pork, chicken, or fish. For a spicier salsa, add more cayenne. To get a variety of textures and flavors in the salsa, we do not rotate the corn while we broil it.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Toss tomatoes, corn, onion, poblano, jalapeño, oil, garlic, and ½ teaspoon salt together on rimmed baking sheet. Flip tomatoes and chiles skin side up. Broil until vegetables are well charred, 12 to 14 minutes. Let vegetables cool on sheet for 10 minutes.

Cut kernels off cobs and transfer to large bowl. Pulse onion, poblano, and jalapeño in food processor until pieces are no larger than ½ inch, 8 to 10 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add to bowl with corn.

Process lime juice, cayenne, tomatoes, garlic, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt in now-empty processor until smooth, about 30 seconds. Stir tomato mixture and cilantro into corn mixture until fully incorporated. Let sit for 1 hour at room temperature. Season with salt and extra cayenne to taste. Serve. (Salsa can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)