Nothing is more synonymous with summer than corn...well maybe tomatoes or peaches? Corn and summer always seem to go hand in hand. I always get giddy when corn starts popping up at the greenmarket, and this season was no exception. Although I to try use fresh produce creatively, there truly is nothing better than simply grilled corn on the cob with a little butter and a touch of salt.
Last week while spending a few days in the Hudson Valley, we had our share of local and sweet corn. I composed a simple salad of freshly grilled corn, local sheep's milk cheese and grilled jalapeño...it tasted like summer. I created a version that was just as satisfying as the one I made upstate, despite being grill-less and my corn having traveled a few miles more. If you do have access to a grill, I recommend grilling the corn and jalapeño. For a city dweller like myself, a quick sear works just as well. Vegan's can opt for no cheese or toss in some crumbled nut cheese for protein and dimension.
Zesty Corn Salad
serves 3-4 as a side dish
Ingredients
- 4 ears of corn, kernels removed from the cob
- a pinch of sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil or coconut oil
- 1 jalapeño
- 5 radishes, halved and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- 6 ounces sheep's milk cheese (I opted for a blue sheep's milk cheese, but I have also used a plain sheep's milk cheese on various occasions. Both work great.)
- a handful of pickled red onion
- a handful of cilantro leaves
method
- Preheat oven to 375 and roast jalapeño for 30 minutes, turning half way through cooking. Allow pepper to cool and then chop, reserving all, some, or none of the seeds depending on spice tolerance.
- Warm olive oil or coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add corn kernels, a pinch of salt, and a good grinding of pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes a side until corn is lightly golden.
- Transfer corn to a large bowl and toss with radishes, lime juice, crumbled cheese, pickled red onion, and cilantro. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Serve warm, cold, or at room temperature.
