Warm Quinoa Salad with Grilled Avocado, Corn, Cotijo Cheese and Chili con Limon Butter

This easy grilled salad melds Latin flavors for a tempting side or hearty entree.

Prep

Cook

Servings

Level

Easy

Ingredients

Salad

  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 2 large semi-ripe avocados, cut in half and pits removed
  • 2 ears corn, husks and silk removed
  • 8 ounces Cotijo cheese (queso fresco to substitute)
  • fresh cilantro, approximately ¼ cup of picked leaves and 2-4 Tablespoons of minced stems
  • 1 green onion, diced

Chile con Limon Butter

  • 4 ounces Challenge Butter, room temperature
  • 2 limes, zested and juiced
  • 2 teaspoons powdered chile de árbol
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne
  • ½ teaspoon powdered cumin
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted in a dry pan

Directions

Salad

  • 1

    Cook quinoa according to package instructions and keep in a warm place or low oven. Meanwhile, prepare a charcoal grill or gas grill.

  • 2

    Place the avocado halves, corn and cheese over the hottest part of the grill. Allow everything to char evenly, rotating the avocado and corn to completely mark the surface and flipping the cheese when browned on each side. Remove from the grill.

  • 3

    Cut the corn off of the cob, slice the avocado flesh out of the skin, and crumble the cooled cheese. Reserve half the cheese and combine the rest in a serving bowl with quinoa and cilantro stems.

  • 4

    Add 3/4 of the Chile con Limon butter to the quinoa mixture, stirring to incorporate.

  • 5

    Warm the remaining Chile con Limon butter in a sauté pan until brown and fragrant. Add the green onion and lightly saute. Add juice from the last lime and spoon over quinoa, mixing to incorporate.

  • 6

    Garnish with the remaining cheese and cilantro leaves and serve.

Chile con Limon Butter

  • 7

    In a small bowl, combine butter, zest from two limes, and juice from one lime.

  • 8

    Add all seasonings and mix thoroughly, making sure to completely incorporate all of the seasonings into the butter.

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