A lovely, healthy salad bursting with fresh seasonal produce and color. Perfect for a light lunch or served as an appetizer.
Summertime is here and for me, summer is salad season. Lighter eating just feels right at this time of year, and there is such an abundance of fresh produce. I love the fruits and vegetables of summer- peaches, corn, fresh greens and bell peppers. These are among my favorites and they’re all featured in this delicious salad.
Preparing the salad
There is a bit of prep work involved in making this salad but it doesn’t take too long and is definitely worth it. You begin by grilling the corn, cherry tomatoes, and peppers. You can grill the peaches as well but I usually don’t and it’s not necessary.
You also need to dice and prep the rest of the ingredients. I use deseeded cucumbers in this salad. Its easy to make. Just scoop around the seeds with a spoon and remove. You can use the discarded seeds in green juices or just eat it. Deseeded cucumbers look alot more sophisticated and are nicer to eat. Perfect in this colorful and lovely salad.
There are quite alot of ingredients so its helpful to create an mis en place, a gathering of all the prepared ingredients. That way you won’t forget to add any.
The salad is mixed together in one bowl. Mix it gently so the ingredients don’t get soft and mushy. After mixing you can serve it right away or refrigerate it for an hour or so to let it chill.
Presentation is important. You want to showcase the bright colours of the salad and the ingredients. The cheese is a great finishing touch. I use a homemade cashew cheese but you can use a commercial soft vegan cheese as well, preferably one with a mild flavour.
This salad looks really pretty when served. I like to serve it for light lunch with homemade sourdough bread. Enjoy!
Grilled Corn and Peach Salad with Cashew Cheese
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup red onion finely diced
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 tablespoons canola oil or neutral flavored oil of your choice or neutral flavored oil of your choice
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- Dash of black pepper to taste
- 12 cherry tomatoes halved or quartered
- 4 mini sweet peppers sliced
- 2 cups corn kernels fresh or frozen
- 2 large firm-ripe avocados sliced
- 2 cups cucumbers halved, finely sliced and deseeded
- 2 large ripe peaches sliced
- Small bunch argula
- Handful of mint leaves
- 4 radishes sliced
- 4 ounces soft vegan cheese
- Pinch of crushed red pepper optional
Instructions
- Finely dice the red onions and place in a medium large mixing bowl.
- Add the freshly squeezed lime juice, cumin and a dash of pepper. Stir and add the oil. Set bowl aside to let flavours macerate.
- Halve the cherry tomatoes and set aside.
- Slice and deseed the mini peppers. Set aside in a seperate bowl.
- Heat a nonstick large wok or skillet over medium high heat. Once hot, add the corn. If using frozen corn, thaw first by running under hot tap water. Pat dry with a clean towel.
- Stir corn until slightly charred about 2 to 5 minutes. Place in a medium large mixing bowl. With a clean damp cloth wipe the wok to remove blackened char.
- Stir fry the tomatoes until slightly charred and place in bowl with the corn. Stir fry the peppers until charred and add them as well to the mixing bowl.
- Spoon the corn mixture into the bowl with the onions.
- Deseed the cucumbers by slicing them in half and with a spoon scooping out the seeded centers. Slice thinly and place in the bowl with the corn.
- Peel and slice the peaches into thin strips lengthwise and add to the bowl with the corn and onions. Gently stir salad until well mixed.
- To serve: Place argula onto 4 salads plates. Spoon salad over it.
- Add cheese, crushed red pepper if adding and mint leaves as garnish.
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