Discover more from FARIDEH is the best
ahhh corn. I feel like tomatoes get so much love and attention this time of year, but corn is the unsung hero of my summer. (see my recipe / video for chicken and corn enchiladas for proof.)
I remember shucking corn as a kid and being sent outside to complete the task so as to not get the silk all over the place. My parents used to steam the corn for those magical warm-weather dinners and I could have eaten steamed corn with butter for every meal.
When I was 15, my dad took my sister and I to Iran. It was here that I experienced grilled corn for the first time and it blew my f-ing mind. Corn is grilled directly on charcoal until blackened, then soaked in a saltwater bath. The sound of the corn popping as it cooks, in addition to the smell wafting through the streets, is truly something I’ll never forget about that trip.
Once you have grilled corn, you’ll never want to eat corn another way again. Cutting it from the cob and tossing it in a salad is pure perfection. Getting a chunk of kernels that are still attached to one another is #goals.
This recipe is basically a summer chopped salad. You can truly add in so many different vegetables to make this your ultimate meal, but don’t add tomatoes. Let the corn have it’s turn in the spotlight.
The dressing is a cuter / spicier alternate to ranch; a mixture of avocado, cilantro, peppers, and sour cream, I often use it as a dipping sauce for fried foods or grilled meats.
ALSO CRISPY CHICKPEAS. I love chickpeas. Cooking them until crisp, then seasoning the hell out of them are, for me, the perfect snack, but also the perfect addition to this already perfect salad. Sure, you could just throw in some canned chickpeas and call it a day, but what makes a salad GOOD is some texture, and these chickpeas bring it.
This could be a meal on its own or it could be a side to some sexy grilled meats. Bring it on a picnic or to the beach or sit outside on your roof and eat it alone (as I have done and will do again).
No matter how or when you choose to make it, I know that you’re gonna enjoy it.
Grilled Corn and Avocado Chopped Salad
Serves 4
Prep time: 25 minutes
Total time: 1 hour and 20 minutes
INGREDIENTS
5 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to serve
1 (15.5-ounce|439-gram) can chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and pat very dry
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 ripe avocados
1 lime
â…“ cup|80 grams sour cream
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
½ jalapeño, stemmed, seeded, and roughly chopped
½ serrano, stemmed and roughly chopped
2 ears corn, shucked
4 ounces|125 grams queso fresco, crumbled
1 bunch green leaf lettuce, chopped
1 small shallot, minced
DIRECTIONS
Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Add the chickpeas and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and crisp, 7 to 9 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove from the pan and transfer to a bowl with the garlic powder, coriander, cumin, onion powder, and cayenne. Season with salt and pepper and set aside until ready to use.
Halve one of the avocados, peel it, and throw it into a food processor with the sour cream, cilantro, and chilies. Zest in the lime and squeeze in 3 tablespoons of juice. Purée until smooth and season with salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to serve.
Meanwhile, light a grill. Brush the corn with oil and grill, rotating occasionally, until charred, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the kernels and place in a large bowl.
Halve, peel, and pit the second avocado, then dice both of them into ½-inch pieces. Toss them into the bowl with the corn along with the reserved crispy chickpeas, the queso fresco, lettuce, and shallot. Toss with the dressing (I like to use ⅔ and then save some for dipping with something else for another day, but I also sometimes use it all and it’s perfect) and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately.