in the kitchen: grilled corn salad with chili lime vinaigrette

Fresh local corn is usually in good supply here (Hawaii = corn? Who knew). I started making this salad over a year ago with sweet Kahuku corn from the KCC Farmers’ Market, using a Williams-Sonoma recipe as a starting point and customizing based on what we like and had in the house. Now I’m downright obsessed with it and it’s one of my favorite dishes to bring to gatherings with friends.

Grilling the corn with the husks on gives the kernels a toasty flavor (some of them even came out slightly blackened, yum). The lime vinaigrette is a nice counterpoint to the sweetness of the corn, and chili powder and cayenne add just a touch of heat. When tossed with red onion, tomatoes, feta cheese and fresh herbs, this is a perfect summer salad for weekend barbeques. It also makes a pretty awesome “scoopable” salsa for tortilla chips!

Grilled Corn Salad
Serves 6-8

6 ears of corn, outer husks removed (leave a couple of layers on)
1 c cherry tomatoes, stemmed and quartered
1/2 c red onion, finely diced
1/2 c feta cheese, crumbled
1 tbs fresh thyme or lemon thyme, chopped, woody stems removed
1 tbs fresh basil, stemmed and chopped

chili lime vinaigrette
juice of 4 limes (about 1/2 cup)
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c red wine vinegar
splash of orange juice
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne
dash turmeric
salt and pepper

1. Combine the lime juice, olive oil, vinegar, orange juice, and spices in a bowl. Whisk until combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside (preferably in the fridge).

2. Remove the outer husks from the corn, leaving on a couple of layers. Grill over medium-high heat for 20-30 minutes, until husks are brown and corn is cooked through. Allow to cool.

3. Remove and discard the husks. Use a knife to slice the kernels from the cob. Place corn in a large mixing bowl and break up any kernels that are stuck together.

4. Add the tomatoes, red onion, crumbled feta, thyme and basil. Whisk the dressing and stir in enough to coat. (You may have a little extra dressing…I like to save it for leftovers, since cold salads can soak up lots of the dressing in the fridge.)

5. Season with salt and fresh black pepper. Serve chilled or at room temperature.