Roasted Corn, Zucchini, and Tomato Salad with Basil Dressing
This salad delivers a magical flavor combination: Lightly charred, smoky , sweet summer corn is paired with fresh zucchini, tomatoes, toasted pepitas, and salty cotija cheese, and is dressed with a creamy basil vinaigrette, making the whole greater than the sum of its parts! It uses the best of summer produce and quickly converts to a one-bowl meal with add-ons such as rotisserie chicken, tinned tuna, or jammy hard-boiled eggs, which transform this light dish into a hearty dinner!
The julienne-cut zucchini, grape tomatoes and chopped flat-leaf parsley can be prepared up to 4 hours in advance, and the dressing gets better with time, so this is a great dish to serve at a barbecue featuring smoky, slow-cooked meats or grilled fish. The only caveat is to dress the salad right before serving.
Ingredients
1 ear of fresh corn, shucked and kernels cut off the cob
Olive oil spray
1 small to medium green zucchini, julienne cut to ¼-inch
1 small yellow zucchini, julienne cut to ¼-inch 1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into small cubes (optional add-on)
½ package grape tomatoes, sliced in half, about 20 tomatoes
1 shallot, peeled and minced, soaked in the juice of 1 lemon, then drained
½ bunch of flat-leaf parsley, chopped, about 1/3 cup
1/3 cup pepitas, lightly toasted
1/3 cup crumbled Cotija cheese
Dressing:
Makes 1 cup
1 cup labneh
Juice of 1 Meyer lemon, about 2 Tbs.
½ teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 large clove garlic, peeled and micro-planed to a paste, about 1 tsp.
1 cup basil leaves
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon honey
Dressing Preparation:
Place all ingredients into a high-efficiency blender and blend till smooth. Place it into the refrigerator until ready to use.
Preparation:
Place an 8-inch, cast-iron skillet on medium heat till hot. Place corn into skillet and spray lightly with olive oil and sauté till lightly charred—about 3 minutes. Remove to a plate and set aside.
To a large salad bowl, add zucchini, cucumber, tomatoes, parsley, shallot and corn. Toss gently to combine.
Drizzle with half of the salad dressing and toss. Top with cotija cheese and pepitas, then serve immediately with extra dressing on the side.
Serves: 2 as a main; 4 as a side.
