I grew up in London, where, for the majority of the year, the weather could best be described as dismal and damp. Not weather conducive to barbecues. In fact, we didn’t own one, so anything grilled took on a slightly exotic feel, and was something to look forward to. The first time I ate grilled corn was at a picnic-cum-barbecue in my grandparents’ garden in France. These were elaborate affairs. The women in the family prepared prodigious amounts of food. The men in the family all gave their opinions about the proper techniques to achieve the perfect braise (the moment when the charcoal is at its optimum) and how long each item should be cooked for. A playful banter ping-ponged back and forth between them, until finally everything was ready, shouts of á table echoed in the garden, and all the kids came scampering to devour their hard work. The corn would be served with salted butter melting down its charred golden sides.
Grilled Corn Salad with Pine Nut Pesto
Ingredients
FOR THE SALAD
- 3 ears fresh corn, shucked
- Olive oil
- Coarse salt
- 6-8 grinds black pepper
- 8 ounces mixed salad greens
- 8 ounces yellow carrots, peeled and sliced into thin rounds
- 8 radishes, ends trimmed, then thinly sliced
- ¼ cup cilantro leaves
FOR THE PESTO
- ¼ cup pine nuts
- 3 tablespoons chives, finely chopped
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
- 1 large Pinch of salt
- 8-10 grinds black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat.
- Place the corn on a plate and drizzle with a little olive oil, a good pinch of salt and 6–8 grinds of black pepper. Turn to coat well. Grill the corn cobs for approximately 1–2 minutes per side, turning them 2 or 3 times, just until they start to color. Place the grilled corn on a cutting board and, when cool enough to handle, slice off the kernels.
- Place the salad greens in a shallow salad bowl or large serving platter. Scatter the carrots, radishes, grilled corn kernels and cilantro leaves over the greens.
- Place the pine nuts and chives in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse until they form a rough paste. Add the remaining pesto ingredients and process until well blended, but still a little coarse. Spoon the pesto over the salad and serve.
