This Charred Corn Salad is a fresh and vibrant dish. With the slightly smoky flavour of the sauteed corn, the crunch of celery, the mellow cannellini beans, and the nutty, creaminess of the avocado, it is full of flavour and texture. The acidic note of lemon juice in the dressing balances all the flavours. You will find many occasions to enjoy the salad, either as a side dish for meat, fish or poultry or as a nutritious, meat-free meal.
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper - to tasteSee Note 3
For the Dressing:
1tablespoonextra virgin olive oil
5teaspoonlemon juice -freshly squeezed
½teaspoonmaple syrup
Instructions
Remove and discard the husk from each corn cob and thoroughly remove the silk tassels.Next, remove the kernels from the cobs. I find the easiest way is to place a small bowl or tea cup upside down inside a medium size bowl. Stand the cob on its flat end on the small bowl/teacup and, using a sharp knife, carefully start at the top of the corn cob and slice downwards. The kernels will fall into the large bowl. Remove the small bowl/teacup.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, to avoid overcrowding the pan, add half the corn. Stir the pan to evenly distribute the corn, then stir frequently until the corn is lightly golden-brown with a light charring on some pieces, about 5 minutes.
Add the charred corn to a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining corn. Allow the corn to cool slightly.
Once the corn has cooled slightly, add the remaining ingredients, except the feta, to the bowl with the corn.
Combine all dressing ingredients in a small bowl and stir well to combine.
Pour the dressing over the salad and gently toss to combine.Check that the seasoning is to your taste, adding more salt and pepper or lemon juice if necessary.Add the feta to the to and serve.
Notes
Corn: if you prefer to use frozen corn kernels, you'll need about 1 ½ cups.
Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons).
Seasoning: adjust the seasoning to your liking – we recommend using freshly ground black pepper and sea salt.
Make in advance: you can prepare most of the salad in advance. I recommend that you add the avocado and fresh herbs just before serving.
Storage: keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. However, if the salad has been at room temperature for 2 hours, it should be discarded.