Time for a Healthy, Make Ahead Grilled Corn Salad Made for a Crowd.
While summer may not officially be here yet, with the weather we are experiencing my kitchen is in full summer mode. That means an increase in fruits and vegetables, a decrease in heavy plates and more time spent outside. When I’m barbecuing it’s not only the fact that I get to play with fire, regardless of how fun that is, but additionally it’s another excuse to get out of the house for a little bit.
Recipe
Ingredients:
4 cobs of corn
2 Red Peppers
1 bunch Asparagus spears
½ a cucumber
2 roma tomatoes
1 red onion
1 500g. tin of black beans
Directions:
- Roast corn on the barbecue in indirect heat for 45 min-1 hour.
- Chop the tomatoes and cucumber into a large dice.
- Drain and rinse the black beans, add to tomatoes and cucumber, set aside in fridge.
- Slice the onion.
- 15-20 minutes before the corn is ready place the asparagus, onion slices and red peppers on the grill in direct heat.
- Once softened and grill marks are present remove all vegetables from the grill, cool and give a large chop to all but the corn.
- Remove the kernels from the corn using a knife.
- Combine all ingredients, chill, and serve when cool.
Summer Foods
While it may still be spring, these days summer weather seems to be here already. Some may say that eating with the seasons is no longer required, but in a number of ways it has only been adapted. A big bowl of hearty stew is a lot less appealing during this time of year where an ice cream cone is not the first thing that comes to my mind in January.
Be it on the side or as the main dish, salads are excellent as the temperature begins to rise. While I can only speak for myself, salads make up a significant portion of my meals this time of year. The shear vastness of ingredients that can be showcased in a salad are nearly endless. This opportunity allows for enough variety that you can never get bored with salads. You are far from limited to the standard ceasar or garden varieties you find on most restaurant menus.
Make ahead Summer Salads for a Crowd
When gathering a group, be it friends or family having options available that are low in effort or able to be made ahead of time is very valuable. I can’t be the only one who has been a part of, or witnessed the military precision it takes to pull off a dinner party in a relaxed, calm and welcoming state. Most salads can be made ahead by at least a few hours, if not the day before. This Corn Salad is no exception.
How to Grill Vegetables
Getting enough vegetables is rather important, five to ten a day they say. After a few days of the same foods prepared the same way I don’t know anyone who would not get bored, disinterested or possibly even angry at the situation. Where we all have certain foods that we prefer, knowing how to change them up every now and again is rather important to keep interested in what’s for supper.
Most vegetables are rather versatile; they can be boiled, baked, fried, or even barbecued. As we approach the heat of the summer cooking outdoors can be a welcome way to both enjoy the summer sun a while longer and keep the heat down inside the house. Barbecuing vegetables can be a little tricky, but with a little knowledge it can be made so much easier with less charred bits left over that fell through the cracks.
The first decision that needs to be made is whether the vegetable in question needs a fast sear or a gentle roast. In my asparagus, corn and black bean salad the corn needs to be slow roasted whereas the asparagus red onion and red peppers only require a touch of intense heat to get the desired consistency.
When it comes to corn and the dry heat of the barbecue water preservation is the key to succulent kernels that release the sweet liquid that makes this vegetable so desirable. If you can grill them with the husk still on it will act as an insulator and limit the loss of water. Another trick is to soak the cobs in water before grilling. When it comes to those visually stunning sear marks, high heat is the key. For this you will require little time, so I tend to keep a diligent eye on whatever the item is. If you are curious about what causes searing, it’s the Maillard reaction. Corn is one example where both slow cooking and fast searing can be combined to create the best of both worlds. Slow roast the cob and then for the last five minutes or so have them exposed to the intense heat to allow for the grill to leave their mark.
A Word on Salad Dressings & Your Health
Most of us, when staring at a menu or deciding on what meal to put together, have our health on our minds when we choose a salad. After all what could be healthier than a heaping pile of fruits and vegetables? In any salad, it’s the hidden sugars and fats that turn an otherwise healthy meal on its head. The most prevalent source of these hidden horrors is the dressings that we liberally dump onto our plates. The trick is finding ways to limit their use, and turning towards sweeter vegetables is a natural way to reduce unwanted calories. The true beauty of our corn salad is, it requires no dressing at all.
What to Serve with Corn Salad
This sweet, hearty and healthy salad could stand up as a meal on its own, and it often has over the past week of my life. Invariably however, there are times where a salad just won’t fit the bill when entertaining, or even serving a family. This dish could stand to play second fiddle to any beef cut out there. Barbecued chicken, seasoned well, would have enough behind it to stand up to this salad as well.
Those foods that I would personally steer away from would be fish and pork. This salad is a powerhouse of strong flavours that blend together beautifully. As when pairing wines with meals, you need to be aware of not only what tastes work together, but also those that have the potential to overpower. Lamb and other overly strong proteins may very easily overpower this salad as well, so while it could be pulled off I wouldn’t risk it.
I must admit something, I have a bit of a sweet tooth when I want to, and that is where this grilled corn salad comes in perfect. I am not gorging on chocolate, nor am I sucking down sugar water. This salad offers a healthier option than any ice cream truck or specialty dessert restaurant while still satisfying my need for something sweet in a more natural way. If you either have someone in your family, or you yourself tend to search for something sweet, try this salad. It might just be the thing to keep a craving or two away.