Roasted Corn Salad With Jalapeño Cashew Cream

Creamy, smoky, and a little bit spicy

The Colorado town where we grew up and raised our kids is known for the local sweet corn farms. I’d look forward to it every summer, buying a dozen ears or more at a time and freezing whatever we couldn’t eat in a couple of days.

That sweet corn set the bar pretty high for me. Perhaps too high because I’m frequently disappointed with the summer corn we find in other parts of the country.

Often, even during the summer months, I find the quality and flavor of frozen corn to be better than whatever is in the fresh produce section. Not always, mind you, but often.

Regardless, oven roasting corn concentrates the flavor and gives the kernels a firm but juicy and tender texture. It works just as well with fresh corn as it does with frozen corn which, as I’ve just explained, is a real bonus.

We are in Michigan this summer and there are plenty of creamy salads in the midwest. I’m here for it, but I wanted a lighter, fresh tasting summer salad that was dairy free.

Using cashew cream instead of the traditional mayo, heavy cream, or cheese for the creamy dressing makes this salad dairy-free and vegan. It also makes it safer to serve on hot summer days when you might be concerned about the safety of dairy based salads baking in the sun.

And the flavor? Rich and creamy, but not heavy. A little bit smokey, savory with a hint of sweetness, light and fresh with a nice little kick from the jalapeño in the cashew cream.