Charred Corn Avocado Salad with Roasted Red Onions
This Charred Corn Avocado Salad with Roasted Red Onions combines all the fresh flavours of summer in a salad bowl. Sweet, smoky charred corn mixed with avocado, cherry tomatoes, roasted red onions and a lemon Dijon dressing makes it a perfect side salad for any barbecue or potluck gathering.
Slice the onions with skin on in half lengthwise, right through the root end. Place cut side down in an oven tray, drizzle with olive oil and season well with sea salt. Roast on a lower rack for 30 minutes until soft and brown.
When ready, remove from oven and let it cool down. Then remove the skin so you can see the soft purple flesh of sweet onion. Slice approximately 1cm thick from top to root end. Separate the layers and put aside, ready for assembling.
Whilst the red onions are roasting, you can grill the corn. Prepare the grill pan for medium-high heat. You can use the barbecue as well.
Coat corn with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place corn on hot grill and cook for 15 minutes or until well charred. Turn the corn occasionally so all sides are cooked well. Once ready, remove from grill to cool down.
Remove corn kernels from cob by using a sharp knife to cut close to the white of the cob. If possible, try to cut the kernels in chunks. Then, place cut kernels into a bowl, ready for assembling.
Wash and cut grape tomatoes in half lengthwise.
Peel and cut avocado into 2cm cubes.
Wash and tear up cilantro (coriander) leaves.
Salad Dressing
Add olive oil, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, maple syrup, and salt and pepper to taste in a mason jar. Give it a good shake so the lemon Dijon dressing is combined.
Assembly
Place all ingredients corn, roasted red onions, avocado and tomatoes in a large serving bowl.
Add dressing and toss well together. Then sprinkle cilantro (coriander) leaves and mix again.
Season well with salt and black pepper.
Serve.
Video
Notes
Additional options: These ingredients would work well in this combination as well: black beans cucumber raw corn kernels sliced raw red onion chilli flakes cos lettuce leaves leftover roast chicken hard boil eggs jalapeños
Substitute cilantro for mint or basil leaves.
In the salad dressing, maple syrup can be replaced with your preferred sweeteners like honey or rice malt syrup.
For a lighter option, you can add olive oil and a good squeeze of lime juice, replacing the Dijon mustard dressing.