Summer Food Season. Let’s kick it off with this grilled corn and blue cheese salad.
I guess the technical kick off to summer was Memorial Day, but summer isn’t summer without corn and it’s just getting to be that season soon. Knee high by the 4th of July, right?
The temperatures in the homestead are solidly in the 80s and above- which is over and past my limit. I’ve already got lake plans this weekend to beat the heat, and food-wise, until I start throwing in the towel and just eating ice cream for dinner**, let’s get some veggies in with some salads.
This week, I’ve got the yardbird and pork Milanese gracing the kitchen. Good stuff!
But back to this grilled corn salad recipe.
The inspo came from my quarterly cookbook browse. That’s where I sit on the couch with a handful of cookbooks from my shelf and look for inspiration because it’s hard to find on my own sometimes. This happens approximately once a quarter and while I often grab for my favorites (The Flavour Principle is always, always a win), this book literally screams summer, so through it I went and found more than one gem worthy of sharing as the temperatures everywhere rise.
I bought Summer Food for a cookbook club that I was part of in Chicago and while it wouldn’t have been my first choice, has had some solid options for every now and then.
I chose this salad since Mom was on her corn game a few weeks ago and grilled up some not quite in-season corn, but the butter and the grill brought out all the sweetness we expect in the summer and make the base for this easy but very noteworthy salad.
Finally, I elevated it exponentially by adding bruleed soft-boiled eggs, a trick I picked up from our last trip to Disney. They are just…extra in the best way.
Crunchy, tangy, sweet and savory – it hits all the flavor notes.
**But oooh – what flavors shall I make??
Grilled Corn and Blue Cheese Salad
Grilled Corn and Blue Cheese Salad is the perfect taste of summer with fresh tomatoes, sweet grilled corn, tangy blue cheese and freshness abound.
Ingredients
- 4 ears of corn, shucked and washed
- Butter, for coating the corn
- Salt and pepper, for coating the corn
- 24 cherry tomatoes
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
- ½ red onion, thinly sliced
- ½ cup blue cheese, shaved or crumbled, as you prefer
- ¼ cup (more or less) fresh basil
- 4 slices bacon, cooked crispy and chopped.
- 2 TB olive oil
- 1 TB lime juice
- Pinch sugar
Directions
- Step 1 Rub butter thoroughly all over the corn and sprinkle each with salt and pepper.
- Step 2 To a grill or grill pan over high heat, add the corn and grill them until brown on all sides. Set aside until cooled enough to handle safely.
- Step 3 While the corn cools, assemble the rest of the salad. In a large bowl, mix together the tomatoes, onions, red pepper flakes, blue cheese, bacon and basil. Toss thoroughly.
- Step 4 In a small bowl, mix together the lime juice, olive oil and pinch of sugar. Combine and set aside.
- Step 5 Once the corn has cooled, cut off the cob and place into the bowl with the rest of the salad. Pour dressing over the salad, toss thoroughly and serve.
