Summer is coming to an end but sunny sweetcorn season is still in full swing so I am determined to fill my boots until it disappears off the shelves – this simple corn salad is my latest treat. This weekend was meant to be gorgeous, perfect BBQ weather but it got brutally downgraded today, boo hoo. Oh well, I made a massive platter of corn salad and I plan to enjoy it al fresco pretending it’s sunnier than it actually is 😉 – that’s what living under tempestuous British skies does to you eventually…

This corn salad is perfect for late summer BBQ. I’m sure I don’t need to tell anyone how divine corn tastes when charred over hot coals. Firing off a BBQ to just to make a delicious salad though would be silly so I used my trusted griddle pan to a similar, albeit less smoky, effect.

While the corn is sizzling and cracking, I prep everything else as I need to be on hand anyway to turn the cobs every now and then. I blitz the herbs with oil and lime juice with a stick blender – I found that to be the easiest and least messy when making such a small amount of dressing. I toast pepitas on a hot pan and dice some things by hand for a bit of a different texture. Once corn is cooked through and charred, I shave the kernels off with a sharp knife and combine everything together. It could not be simpler.

While I made this salad using cobs of corn, if you can’t get your hands on these, you can also use frozen or tinned corn. If using frozen, defrost it first and then dry it well on paper towels. If using canned, drain it and dry well. Drying encourages caramelisation process and prevents the kernels from stewing. Once try, pre-heat a heavy skillet – a cast iron one is best – then add a bit of oil. Once hot, add a single layer of corn kernels – you don’t want to overcrowd the pan so you may need to do it in batches – and allow it to char, stirring from time to time. Corn prepared that way is a flavourful base not only for this simple corn salad but lots of other dishes too, like for creamy corn ramen or this smoky corn chowder with vegan chorizo too.

MORE ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS

CORN: Fresh corn is the base of this simple corn salad, but if that’s not something you can get your hands on, you could also make it using frozen (my preference) or canned corn too. To use frozen corn, defrost it fully then blot it well using paper towels. If using canned corn, drain it well then blot on paper towels to make it as dry as possible. Pre-heat a bit of oil in a heavy (cast iron if you have one) skillet and add a single layer of corn kernels – it’s important not to overcrowd the pan so do this in batches if you have to. Allow the corn to char on low-medium heat, giving it a stir every now and then.

CHILLI: If you like me you like a touch of spice, add finely diced chilli to this corn salad for little pops of heat. I used mild and fruity red chilli (scale 2), which I deseeded as well to moderate the heat even further but you can adjust this to your preference. If you don’t have a fresh chilli, you can add a pinch of fine chilli flakes or chilli powder to the dressing or a dash of hot sauce, like Tabasco or Cholula instead.

SPRING ONION: Spring onions (known as scallions in the US) are milder and grassier than onions or shallots so I feel like they are a perfect addition to this simple salad. Clean them really well, especially the green parts as they like to hang on to dirt and slice really thinly.

OIL: You can use any oil you like the taste of in this dressing. I recommend something neutral like avocado oil, grapeseed oil or mild avocado oil as I find that extra virgin olive oil tends to take over a little but too much, but feel free to override me.

LIME: With corn being naturally sweet, you want some acidity to counterbalance it. This is where limes come in, I use zest for fragrance and a generous amount of juice to create a delicious flavour contrast.

CORIANDER: Fresh coriander (cilantro for the US readers) goes really well with corn, lime and chilli. I minced some of the coriander into my dressing for little flecks of green and used some chopped roughly to dress this simple salad. If you don’t have a blender, simply chop it all finely and add it directly to the salad.

GARLIC: Half a clove of garlic adds a bit of savoury bite and depth of flavour to the dressing but you can totally skip it if you aren’t a fan of raw garlic.

SPICES: I added just a dash of ground cumin and smoked paprika to this dressing, but it is just as delicious without them so don’t worry if you are missing either or both of these spices.

HOW TO MAKE IT?

1) CHAR YOUR CORN

Brush cobs with some oil – I like to pour a bit of oil on a flat dinner plate and roll the corn in it – then pop it on a preheated griddle pan (cast iron skillet works too). Allow corn to char undisturbed on one side before turning it around a little. Carry on until corn is cooked and charred all over. You can also do this on a hot BBQ, of course.

2) CHOP CHILLI AND SPRING ONIONS

Deseed your chilli – unless you like a HOT KICK – and dice finely. Clean your spring onions and slice finely on a diagonal.

3) TOAST PEPITAS

Toast pepitas in a dry frying pan until golden and burst in places, toss them frequently so that they don’t burn. Stir a teaspoon of oil at the end and a generous pinch of salt – flaky salt is best!

4) MAKE THE DRESSING

Use two thirds of coriander for the dressing and the rest for garnish. Place leaves and small coriander stems (large stems tend to be bitter) in a jug of stick blender, alongside lime zest, lime juice (about 3 tbsp), oil, garlic and spices. Season with a generous amount of salt and some pepper. Blitz until coriander is well minced.

5) COMBINE AND SERVE

Bring everything together on a serving platter and serve!