Jerry Seinfeld once argued that cinnamon should have a rightful spot in the pantheon of tabletop spices, standing right next to salt and pepper. Yes, once again, I am referencing an episode of Seinfeld. I am that topical with my pop culture references - Seinfeld, MASH, Alanis Morissette. This, among other things, I take as evidence that we are old at heart.
But I am in complete agreement with Jerry about cinnamon. It definitely deserves to stand proudly next to the salt and pepper on tables everywhere. Lately, however, I feel like I would add something else to that mix, and it may be a bit surprising... strawberries. Apparently I've become quite smitten with them, adding them to everything from pate to breakfast sandwiches to black bean wraps to muffins - and now salsa. This salsa omits tomatoes entirely in favor of strawberries, and when I say salsa, yes, I mean for chip dipping. Sweet, spicy, smoky, and sour, it's a surprisingly great match, and the fact that it looks a bit like regular salsa is a fun play on the senses. Just one more example to convince me that strawberries can be used almost anywhere to make something better.
Ingredients
1 cup corn kernels, either thawed if frozen or fresh
1 1/2 cups chopped strawberries
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno
1 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons crumbled cotija cheese
Instructions
This is super easy. Just toss the corn, strawberries, and jalapeno in a bowl. In a small bowl, stir together the liquid smoke, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Toss with the corn and berries, then stir in the cotija cheese. Serve with chips.
