Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Grilled Corn Salad



Sweet corn will forever remind me of my childhood.

It has been a favorite summer treat for as long as I can remember.  We didn't have alot of farm stands or markets when I was growing up outside of Boston. But one thing you always saw were makeshift stands in the middle of the summer selling fresh sweet corn on the cob.  We'd eat these delicious and sugary kernels almost every day.

That meant husking enough cobs for a family of 6 every day.  A task that very often fell to me or one of the other kids.  Sitting out back in a still wet bathing suit, with a brown paper bag, stripping the husks and trying to get all of the silky threads off of each cob.  It's a task that I hate and love today.  Hate because it's just a pain and a big ole mess, love because it reminds me of those steamy summer days.



On our way back from the cottage this weekend we stopped at one of our favorite farm stands and picked up a slew of fresh corn.  Most of it was blanched, cut from the cob and put in our freezer for the winter but I kept a few cobs for dinner this week. Boy am I glad I did.

By combining fresh corn, tomatoes & jalapeno from my garden and some black beans from the pantry I put together this delicious corn salad that went great with tacos and is perfect for your end of summer BBQs, when you not only want to take advantage of fresh produce but also want something that keeps well.

Even removed from the cob and in a salad, those sweet kernels still bring me right back to summers as a kid.




print recipe

Grilled Corn Salad
Ingredients
  • 2 ears corn - husked
  • 1 cup black beans - drained & rinsed
  • 24 cherry tomatoes - halved
  • 12 yellow pear tomatoes - quartered
  • 1 jalapeno - minced
  • 1/2 lemon - juiced
  • 2 Tbsps cider vinegar
  • good olive oil
  • sea salt & fresh cracked pepper
Instructions
1. Heat the grill over medium heat. Lightly oil the grates and place the husked corn on the grill. Grill about 5-7 minutes per side until the whole cob is covered with golden brown and black kernels. Remove from heat and let cool to touch.2. Cut the cobs in half width wise, so you have a flat edge to place on the cutting board. Carefully, working towards the cutting board, remove the kernels from the cob with a knife. Place into a medium bowl.3. Add the beans, tomatoes and jalapeno to the bowl and toss to combine.4. Add the lemon juice, vinegar and good couple glugs of olive oil to the bowl. Toss to coat. Taste and adjust seasoning with sea salt and black pepper.
Details
Prep time: Cook time: Total time: Yield: 4-6 servings

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