Corn, Avocado and Tomato Salad

Bursting with summer produce, this simple salad shows off the fresh flavors of corn, avocado and tomato. In fact, if you can find farm-fresh corn on the cob, you might choose to skip the first step and serve the bright yellow kernels raw instead of sautéing them. If you can’t find cotija cheese, which is available at most Latin American markets, you can substitute feta instead.

Corn, Avocado and Tomato Salad

1 Tbs. unsalted butter

1 Tbs. olive oil

2 cups (12 oz./375 g) fresh corn kernels (cut from about 3 ears)

2 ripe avocados, pitted, peeled and diced or thinly sliced

1 small head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

Grated zest and juice of 1 lime

3 Tbs. vegetable oil

2 tsp. honey

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1/4 cup (1 1/2 oz./45 g) crumbled cotija cheese

Small basil leaves for garnish

In a large sauté pan over high heat, warm the butter and olive oil until nearly smoking. Add the corn and sauté, stirring occasionally, until just tender and lightly browned in spots, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl combine the cooled corn, avocados, lettuce and tomatoes.

In a small bowl, combine the lime zest and juice, vegetable oil, honey and salt and pepper to taste. Whisk until combined. Pour the dressing over the vegetable mixture and toss gently to combine. Sprinkle the
salad with the cotija, garnish with the basil and serve immediately. Serves 6 to 8.

Williams-Sonoma Test Kitchen