This is one of my favorite summer salads. With sweet corn coming into season and tomatoes and peppers just around the corner, this is a great Farmer's Market dish. The dressing that I make for this makes the salad bright and crisp. It's easy to feed a crowd with this.
I like to grill the corn first in its husks and then char it. I leave the corn in its husks and soak it in water for about 30 minutes. This allows the corn to steam on the grill first before pulling back the husks and giving the corn a final char.
For the sweet peppers, you can use any sweet pepper you like but I am really loving the mini sweet peppers right now for raw dishes - you can slice them into such nice little rings.
Tweak this recipe any way you like - if you want more tomatoes and not so many peppers, just adjust the amounts. Use any cheese you like - I'm using feta in this version, but I've used other cheeses, including goat cheese and ricotta salata or even asiago cheese.
The dressing uses white balsamic vinegar, which just has such a nice bright acidity to it and doesn't darken the salad like a regular balsamic. I hope you give it a try.
ceramic plates from Fifty One and a Half
Charred Corn Summer Salad
for a printable recipe, click here
serves 8
salad:
4 ears of sweet corn, with husks still on
½ cup diced red onion (about ½ of a medium onion)
2 cups of sliced sweet peppers (I like the mini peppers, sliced into rings)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup feta cheese (you can use goat cheese, ricotta salata, etc. or any tangy cheese)
2 cups fresh arugula
dressing:
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoons Montreal Steak Seasoning (use can just use pepper, but I like to use this because of its robust flavor)
¼ teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
Soak corn, in the husks, in water for about 30 minutes.
In a large bowl, mix the onions, sweet peppers and tomatoes together.
Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing in a measuring cup and set aside.
Light a grill and set it to medium high heat. When the grill is hot, place the soaked corn on the grill. The husks will keep the corn moist and steam the corn. Grill the corn for about 12 - 15 minutes, rotating the ears every few minutes with tongs. The husks will become charred - that's okay.
Remove the cooked corn from the grill. Keep the grill lit. Wearing a grill or oven mitt, hold each ear and carefully pull back the husks with a pair of tongs. The silk of the corn should just slide off, also. Pull the husks back to create a "handle". Place the corn back on the grill and cook until the corn is nicely charred, using the husks to turn the ears over.
soak the corn in their husks for 30 minutes.
place them right on the grill and cook for about 12 - 15 minutes
pull back the husks after you have grilled the corn . . .
and place them back on the grill until they are nicely charred
Remove the corn from the grill and with a sharp knife, cut off the kernels. Add these to the other vegetables in the bowl. Add the feta and the dressing and toss. Add the arugula right before serving and toss again. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt if necessary. Serve at room temperature.
