In this post I share with you a recipe that combines some of summer’s most flavor filled produce. Local strawberries and sun ripened corn have made their way into my fresh salsa.
Before we go any further, I must share a few things with you……
Things have been busy around here. I have lots of fun blog posts lined up for the next few months.
With great new recipes to share and fun events to talk about I need more time in the day to get everything cooked, photographed and posted. I need 5 of me or maybe 10. I love all this busy-ness! Recently I was asked to be a culinary judge for the OC Fair. I have also been enjoying using the summer’s freshest produce for Summer Fest.
With so much on the blog calendar my goal here is to combine the two in this one post. The overly heightened sensory experience of a county fair is gonna accompany the elegance and refinement of fresh summer corn.
The corn that is fresh from your garden or the farmer’s market is quite different from the candy coated or deep fried corn you might find at a Fair.
Though it looks like the vendor above might have had some purist corn on the cob.
When PR from the OC Fair reached out to me they offered a few category options for judging. There were competitions ranging from Retro Baking, to Bacon Bacoff, Art of the Tart and to my pick: the Chili, Wings and Salsa competition.
I arrived with an empty belly and revved up taste buds. I thought I would be eating a bit from each of the three food choices but as it turns out I was able to just judge the salsa.
This made me very happy as my favorite sauce is salsa. I dump it on all my meals. I love how something so simple can add so much flavor & nutrition at one time.
Perched up on a stage, I sampled 20 salsas in front of a super fun crowd. One third were red salsas, one third were green and the rest were sweet, fruit based salsas.
Each salsa was homemade and each very different from one another. They were scored on originality, flavor and appearance. My favorites were a Roasted Red Pepper & Tomato salsa, a Green Avocado salsa and a Strawberry Serrano Chile salsa.
I left satisfied and not too full…..which was very unexpected. I felt great and met lots of nice people. There was a fellow OC blogger named Louise who I be pals with I’m sure!
Inspired by the strawberry fruit salsa I judged, I came up with my own recipe using this weeks Summer Fest fresh pick: Corn.
The creamy avocado mixed with the smoky red onions, roasted corn and heat from the jalapeños are a party in your mouth. Let’s not forget the sweet ruby red strawberries that put a unique twist on traditional salsa.
We enjoyed this salsa by the spoonful & with crisp chips. Next time I make it we will top a big hunk of salmon, halibut or some other flaky fish with it. It would be nice paired with jumbo grilled shrimp too…..
[amd-zlrecipe-recipe:130]
Roasted Corn Recipe Links
- Roasted Corn Zucchini Salad Culinary Cory
- BBQ Chicken and Corn Pizza White on Rice Couple
- Creamy Roasted Corn Soup Naturally Ella
- Roasted Corn Pudding in Acorn Squash The Zoe Blog
- Grilled Mahi Mahi with Roasted Corn and Black Beans We Heart Food
we love, love, love the OC Fair. How fun for you! Looks like a great day for your entire family!
A marvelous salsa! That combination is so great.
Cheers,
Rosa
This looks amazing! I am making it this weekend. Thanks for sharing! I love your post, as always. Check out my Corn-Tomato and Basil recipe, and thanks for being such a good foodie friend!
http://www.ingredientsinc.net/2010/08/summer-fest-2010-fresh-corn-cherry-tomatoes-and-basil/
Alison, love your recipe. I am enjoying getting to know so many other bloggers through this event. I checked out about 30 corn recipes this morning. So fun! Everyone is so creative.
I love corn salsa, and the strawberry sounds like an interesting twist! Judging salsas sounds like a lot of fun too.
Marla, These are SUCH gorgeous photos! Your family is beautiful and your food is to die for… I cannot WAIT to try that salsa!
Looks like that was a fun event! I love the combo of flavors in your salsa and I really like the idea of pairing it with seafood!
I hear what you’re saying about the time restraints. I used to say that I need a clone, but I could definitely use three or four of me. Never enough time in a day!
I love the fair – we used to enter produce from our garden, but I’ve graduated to being a judge in the culinary division! Yay! Your photos are gorgeous, Marla and I love how colorful your blog posts are. I’ve made a lot of corn salsas but they’ve never included strawberries – I’ll try it 🙂
Ahhh corn! GREG
Looks so good! I love your first photo too, its so cute!
What a gorgeous salsa! So many flavors and texture melding together. That must have been a really fun day for you.
Gorgeous salsa! I think I could eat salsa every day for lunch and be perfectly happy. There are so many different flavors out there to mingle! Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Would not have thought to put strawberries in there. Kudos to your culinary cahones!
I love the salsa you chose as the winner (the guy in the pic) … He gave me a jar and I knew it was a winner at first bite LOVED IT. Fun stuff at the fair, I’ll be happy and sad when it’s over…
I would have never came up with these flavors but it sounds delicious!
marla, you’ve just presented the most appetizing salsa i’ve ever seen and i’m not exaggerating. avocado is an obsession of mine,and i also love all the other components (though not quite as much). it’s absolutely beautiful!
What a a unique concoction! And what fun to be a judge in a tasting contest! I would love to do that. The combination of fruits and vegetables in this dish is one that I would never dream up on my own. It sounds really spectacular – and healthy! You are truly an inspiration, Marla… and the photography is spectacular… particularly the last one of the salsa in a bowl with the other in the background.
🙂
Again, I apologize for not keeping up with my readings. We left for Paris mid July and are currently in Belgrade. We’ll be home sometime next week – and I cannot wait to be home. I love to get away, but going home is just as exciting. And this time, In have had so many fascinating culinary experiences, that I cannot wait to practice in my kitchen at home!
🙂
Valerie
Being a judge must have been so much fun! Salsa is the perfect thing to taste because it’s not too heavy. Did you feel very top chef?
I love fruit in salsas! This looks so incredibly tasty.
Joanne, yes judging the fair did feel very Top Chef! I enjoyed mingling with the crowd and other judges too. It was tough to choose a winner, these people worked very hard on their creations!
Valerie, I have missed you so! Can’t wait to hear about your amazing summer travels. We look forward to seeing you new culinary skills and creations.
Grace, glad this salsa has swooned you 🙂
That salsa looks amazing-like pure Summer! Meanwhile I’m counting down the days until Winter disappears here so that I can make such delightful goodies! 😀 And how brilliant being asked to judge at the fair!
what a great idea for delicious meal!
Have a nice time!
Paula
Wow! This may be my favorite post yet! I love salsa and a fruity salsa is so summery and delicious. I would love to grill up a big salmon and load it up with that salsa on top! Beautiful photos. Thank goodness you judged the salsa and not the chocolate covered bacon or the deep fried cream cheese. The fair is scary but fun!
A vibrant salsa filled with so many good-for-you ingredients. I want a stack of tortilla chips to dig into every last morsel. 😉
That sounds like such a fun event! I was actually thinking of making salsa or guac today (for some reason I went crazy buying avocados at the grocery store this week, lol!) and I wanted a different type of salsa! Yours looks perfect!
This is one of the most gorgeous salsa’s I’ve seen! I especially love the bright purple, jewel-like flecks of red onion. I agree this would be fabulous with fish. I will have to try it very soon!
Cara, the colors are truly amazing….and the flavors over fish are heavenly.
What fun to have been a judge at the fair. Your photos, always beautiful, are really outstanding today and the salsa sounds wonderful. I hope you are having a great day.
This is my first time here, you have a beautiful blog! This salsa sounds delicious. I’ve never had one with strawberries – a must try!
I love this recipe! Can’t wait to make it ~ what a fun time!
Love your pictures. I went to the Fair and saw the corn…But have trouble paying 4 dollars for a cob! haha The salsa looks delicious!
Marla…first off…just looking at your photos put a smile on my face.
I’ve never really attended such events…looks like a ton of fun.
Very flavourful and colorful recipe. Must be incredibly tasty ;o)
This post was very cheerful. Thank you,
Claudia
This whole post is infused with summer! I could stare at your lovely photographs but I would rather have a taste of this amazing salsa. What a marvelous combination of flavors!
LOVE how you added strawberries to this salsa. All my favorite ingredients!
Love the flavors in that salsa and the colors in those shots are amazing! Makes me feel good and happy to be in summer season.
Sorry it took me so long to look you up, I have been so busy working and closing down this years Fair. Just wanted to say THANK YOU for coming out to the OC Fair this Summer and judging all those beautiful salsas. I know it was hard to pick as so many were great! It was nice working with you, hope to get a chance again.
Renee Fontes, OC Fair Culinary Coordinator 2010
Renee: Glad you enjoyed this re-cap of the OC Fair. I look forward to sharing this experience with you again some day. It was truly so fun & delicious!
Yummy!!! That looks absolutely Dee-licious dear Marla!!! I just gotta try it!!!
I love your recipes so much. Keep them coming! 🙂
HefiA
Marla, I love the addition of strawberries! So clever, and pretty. I love a hint of sweet in salsa, especially with avocado, especially with fish.