We could all use a little more Mexico in our lives. Its bold colors, warm hospitality, and lilting breezes, and the food — let’s not forget about the comforting complexity that is Mexican food.
Well, I hadn’t been to Mexico in almost a decade, which is kind of a joke seeing as I live in a state that shares a border with that very country. So, I took a vacation. I mean, a real vacation. Like one where there was no email, no internet, and no hamster wheeling. I needed a vacation wherein my largest responsibility was to make sure I applied sunscreen regularly, know what I mean?
It had been years upon years since I’ve taken such a vacation, so I joined my family down in Los Cabos, Mexico for the week and have taken some lots and lots needed R&R. Though I’d like to say I ate healthy and worked out all the time, I more or less acted like a sloth and zoned out (leaving a trail of tortilla chips and margaritas wherever I went).
But if I were being healthy? I would have eaten something like this salad — all the flavors of Mexico toasted and roasted and tossed together but a far cry from a chain-restaurant tostada. So, though I couldn’t bring you all souvenirs, I thought I’d share this recipe from me, to you, with an air of Mexico.
Los Cabos Summer Salad Recipe
- Makes: 6 servings//2/3 cup dressing
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Hands-On Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
- For the dressing:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 cup diced peeled seeded avocado, half an avocado
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
- 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon unsalted shelled raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas), toasted
- 1 tablespoon white white vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon of sugar
- Salt and Freshly ground black pepper
- For the salad:
- 2 poblano chiles
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 ears corn
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 lime
- 5 ounces baby romaine lettuce
- 1 ripe avocado, halved, seeded, peeled and finely diced
- 8 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup coarsely crumbled feta cheese (about 4 ounces)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted shelled raw pumpkin seeds (pepitas), toasted
- 1 cup lightly crushed blue corn torilla chips (optional)
Instructions
- For the dressing:
Combine all ingredients with 3 tablespoons water in a blender and process until smooth, at least 30 seconds. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- For the salad:
Roast poblanos over and open flame until thoroughly blackened, about 8 minutes. Place poblanos is a bowl and cover with plastic wrap to steam, about 10 minutes. Run chile under cold water and rub off the blackened skin. Trim off ends, discard seeds, and cut into a small dice. (Can be done up to 1 day ahead).
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium frying pan over high heat. Using a serrated knife, saw the kernels off the corn and place in the frying pan with a pinch of salt and the cumin. Cook, stirring rarely, until corn is browned and toasted. Remove from heat, stir in a squeeze of lime, and set aside to cool.
In a large bowl, toss the greens with the corn, poblanos, red onion, and tomatoes. Then top the salad with the feta, avocado, and pepitas, drizzle with a spoonful of the dressing and serve.
