Grilled Corn and Scallion Salad

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Corn nuts! That's it, that's the pitch. If you don't have a grill, you can roast the corn at 450°, rotating occasionally until it's golden brown and lightly charred in spots (this will take longer than the grill and will never get as dark, but that's okay).

YIELD — 4–6 servings

 

Ingredients

  • 6 ears of yellow corn, husks removed

  • 1-2 bunches scallions
    2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more

  • 1/2 cup fresh lime juice, pepperoncini liquid, vinegar, or a mix, plus more

  • 6 pepperoncini peppers, coarsely chopped

  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

  • 1 cup cilantro, tender leaves and stems

  • 4 ounces queso fresco, haloumi, or other firm, mild, salty fresh cheese like feta, crumbled or coarsely chopped

  • ½ cup corn nuts (or roasted pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds or almonds), coarsely chopped

Directions

1. Heat a grill to high (see Note). Drizzle 2 tablespoons olive oil over the corn and scallions and season with salt. Throw the corn right on the grill and leave it alone, except to turn it a few times over the next 10 to 15 minutes. It should be charred and blackened on the outside while it gets tender and cooked through on the inside. Throw the scallions on the grill, too, and cook until the tops are softened and charred and crispy in spots, and the bulbs are a little golden but remain crispy.

2. Once the corn comes off the grill, let it get cool enough to handle so you can strip the kernels off the cob. The easiest way to do this is to hold the corn by the stem and place it in a large bowl. Starting at the top, using a sharp knife (a serrated knife works well, too) and getting as close to the cob as possible, shave the kernels off; they should land in the bowl, rather than scatter all over your counter and kitchen floor.

3. Coarsely chop the scallions and add to the bowl with the corn kernels, seasoning with salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the cilantro and pepperoncinis, and season with the pepperoncini liquid and lime juice. Add the corn nuts and queso fresco, and season with salt, pepper, and more lime juice as needed to make sure it’s almost *too* limey. 

Notes

If using an oven, preheat to 450°F.

 
newsletter, vegetables, saladsAlison RomanNewsletterComment