Modern Mexican fiesta

Send your tastebuds to Mexico with these clever twists on family favourites. Comamos – let's eat!

- REBECCA LYALL, KERRIE WORNER

Charred corn & piquillo pepper salad

PREP+COOK TIME 30 MINUTES SERVES 8

8 corn cobs (2.4kg)

6 green onions, sliced thinly

285g jar roasted piquillo peppers, drained, quartered

8 radishes (280g), sliced thinly

1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup (60ml) lime juice

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1/2 cup (60g) corn nuts

1/2 cup (80g) smoked almonds

1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves

1/2 cup coriander leaves

1 Remove husk and silk from corn; trim cobs, then break in half crossways. Place cobs in a large saucepan of boiling water; return water to the boil. Boil, covered, for 10 minutes or until tender; drain.

2 Heat a barbecue (or grill or grill plate) on high; cook corn on lightly oiled barbecue until lightly charred. When corn is cool enough to handle, cut half the cobs into quarters lengthways and cut kernels from remaining cobs.

3 Place all corn in a large bowl with green onion, piquillo peppers, radishes and combined oil, lime juice and garlic. Season to taste.

4 Just before serving, add corn nuts, almonds and herbs to corn and piquillo pepper salad; toss gently to combine.

Masa & chilli-coated squid & school prawns

PREP+ COOK TIME 35 MINUTES SERVES 4

800g baby squid, cleaned vegetable oil, for deep-frying

1 cup (120g) masa harina

1 tablespoon chipotle chilli powder

500g uncooked school prawns

2 teaspoons sea salt flakes

1 teaspoon chipotle chilli powder, extra

AIOLI TWO WAYS

1 cup (300g) whole-egg mayonnaise

1 clove garlic

2 teaspoons finely grated lime rind

3 teaspoons lime juice

1 tablespoon Mexican hot sauce

1/2 teaspoon Mexican spice mix

1 Cut squid hoods into 2cm rings. Cut tentacles into quarters.