Not in the head space to write much, but I wanted to share this salad we had at a backyard dinner with friends last week before another weekend passed. It was the perfect late summer salad - a place for those sweet nectarines that I cannot get enough of (also been throwing them in my morning steel cut oats with cardamom and salted pistachios. Recommended). It was one of the better salads I've thrown together, perhaps because I wasn't expecting it to be such a delicious and easy combination. I feel like a much better cook when I am not trying hard to be a good cook...that must make sense for those of you who write recipes and blogs about food. It's annoying really, and maybe the demon of people who do creative work for a living. Anyway, here is the recipe, give or take, and I'm wishing you all a full weekend ahead. Heidi's salad looks amazing, I want these wraps, Ashlae's cookies and will never pass up a berry crumble. Go eat outside!
GREEN SALAD OF NECTARINES, CORN + PEANUTS // Serves 4
The first time I made this, I used a mix of baby arugula, kale and romaine. You really can use any greens you like, but if you go with something sturdy like kale, cut it with another soft lettuce as well. For aesthetics and texture contrast, I'm a proponent of mixing lettuces and greens.
When a dressing is this simple, I (lazily, because I don't want to wash another bowl) drizzle everything on top and just toss it well to distribute. Do as I say, not as I do and whisk it all before it that sounds a little haphazard to you. I like to live on the edge and risk a mouthful of mustard in one bite.
- 2 tsp. coconut oil
- 1 ear of corn
- 1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
- 4 cups chopped red leaf lettuce
- 4 cups mixed greens (I used a 'power green' pack)
- handful of roughly chopped cilantro
- 1 ripe necartine, diced
- 1 shallot, finely minced (about 2 Tbsp.)
- 1/2 cup crumbled feta, plus more for garnish
- 1/2 cup roasted and salted peanuts, plus more for garnish
- 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp. white balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp. agave nectar
- 1 tsp. dijon mustard
- sea salt and pepper
in a small pan, heat the coconut oil over medium high heat. Cut the corn kernels away from the cob and add them to the hot pan with a sprinkle or salt and the smoked paprika. Saute, only moving once or twice so the edges char, for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the corn cool completely.
In a large salad bowl, combine both greens, cilantro, the diced nectarine, shallot and half of the feta, peanuts and cooled corn. Whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, white balsamic, agave, mustard and a pinch of both salt and pepper. Dress the salad as desired and sprinkle the remaining feta, peanuts and corn on top. Serve immediately.
