If you have access to a grill, get it nice and hot. Otherwise, preheat your oven to 500 degrees. Fill a clean sink with plenty of water. Peel back the husks from each ear of corn without removing them, pull away the silks, and let them soak for a few minutes in the sink full of water. This cleans the corn, of course, but also gets a little extra moisture into the husks so you don’t light shit on fire.
Pull the husks back into place and roast the corn in the oven (or on the grill) for about 20 minutes, turning frequently. Even though you soaked the husks, please be mindful of not lighting your corn / face on fire. Once cooked, allow the corn to cool so you can handle it without burning the bejeezus out of your hands.
Seed and dice the red pepper. Peel and dice the jicama. Wash the cilantro and remove the leaves from the stems. We’re only using the leaves here, but the stems are delicious in sauces or for roasting fish— so don’t throw them away, they freeze great until you’re ready to use them.
Roast, seed, and finely dice the jalapeno and then wash the hell out of your hands. The best way to make your fingers stop being spicy is to lube your hands up with plenty of olive oil, and then wash with plenty of dish soap. Capsaicin (the stuff that makes peppers spicy) is not water soluble, but it is extremely fat soluble. Soaking your hands in olive oil traps all the capsaicin in the fat, and the dish soap washes the fat away. To test how well you’ve washed your hands, lick your fingers. If
Once the corn is cooled, remove and discard the husks, and slice the corn from the cob with a large serrated knife.
Combine all of the veggies in big bowl with the chili pepper. Toss with lime juice, and olive oil. Queso fresco and cajita are both super salty, so add those and then check to see if you need extra salt and pepper.
This stuff tastes best after hanging out for twenty minutes in the fridge, but is perfectly fine right away. Remember to toss well before serving. This stuff keeps for about 4 days in the fridge, tightly sealed. It’s great with grilled meats, but also works as sort of pseudo salsa.
A few notes on Corn: Always choose firm, tightly closed ears with damp silks (the little tassel hanging out the end) and cleanly cut ends that aren’t all dried out and crusty. To find the best ears, peel back the first bit of husk and see if there are well-formed kernels are right at the tip. The best, sweetest corn will have plump, juicy ones all along the length of the ear. Whenever possible, buy your corn fresh from the farmer and cook it immediately. Corn has evolved protective enzymatic pro