Recipe: Fiesta Corn and Avocado Salad (make ahead, Ina Garten)

FIESTA CORN AND AVOCADO SALAD

"This is a great summer salad, I can get most of the ingredients at my favorite farm stand in Sagaponack plus a few ripe avocados from the grocery store. I made this vinaigrette with olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, and chipotle powder, which really spices it up. This is a perfect dish for a salad buffet or to serve with grilled chicken."



3 ears corn, preferably yellow, shucked*
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pint heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved through the stem
1 Holland orange bell pepper, cored, seeded, and 1/2-inch diced
1/2 cup medium-diced red onion
2 jalapeno peppers, seeds and ribs removed, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lime zest
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice (3 limes)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
2 ripe Hass avocados, large-diced
Juice of I lemon

Cook the corn in a large pot of boiling salted water for 5 to 7 minutes, until just tender. Cool for 5 minutes and cut the kernels off the cob, cutting close to the cob with a sharp knife. Place the kernels in a large bowl with the tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, and jalapeno peppers.

In a small bowl or glass measuring cup, whisk together the lime zest, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, chile powder, I teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss.

In a separate bowl, gently toss the avocados and lemon juice together, making sure the avocado is coated in lemon juice. Add to the vegetables, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and carefully fold together without breaking up the avocados. Sprinkle with salt and serve cold or at room temperature.

TO MAKE AHEAD:
Prepare the salad, except the avocados, and refrigerate. Just before serving, add the avocados and serve at room temperature.

*To cut the corn, shuck it, cut the stem end flat, stand it upright, and cut close to the cob. (I cut the corn onto a paper towel so I can pick up the towel and transfer the corn to the bowl.)

Makes 6 servings
Used by permission to Recipelink.com from Clarkson Potter
Adapted from source: Cooking for Jeffrey: a Barefoot Contessa cookbook by Ina Garten