Roasted corn and avocado salad

Transform a bag of frozen corn into a blockbuster dish!

I’ve never given frozen corn enough respect. I tend to wait till mid to late summer when corn is in season to feast on this delicious vegetable, but little did I know that the kinds of things I like to make with corn on the cob can just as easily be made with a bag of frozen corn.  This salad has bold, bright flavours and I also love it because it is a super flexible recipe in that you can vary the vegetables based upon what you have. This is the latest in my new Recipe of the Week series that I am creating for Ottawa At Home magazine, where I serve as food editor, and it’s a real winner.

Click here to access the recipe or find it below the picture. 

Ingredients

For the salad:

• 3 cups (495 g) frozen corn kernels 
• 1 medium onion, peeled and diced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons (22 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 mL) sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon (1.5 g) ground black pepper
• 1 cup (150 g) chopped tomatoes or red pepper
• 1 cup (150 g) diced cucumber or zucchini
• 1 medium avocado
• Fresh chopped herbs, to garnish (optional)

For the dressing:

• 2 tablespoons (30 mL) rice or cider vinegar
• 3 tablespoons (45 mL) olive, canola or avocado oil
• 2 teaspoons (10 mL) maple syrup or honey or agave syrup (or more, to taste)
• 1/2 teaspoon (2.5 g) each sea salt and smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon each (.75 g) chili pepper and garlic powder

Method

• Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a medium sized baking tray with parchment paper and set aside.
• In a bowl, combine frozen corn and diced onion. Don’t worry if your corn is covered in ice crystals – they will evaporate during cooking. Drizzle olive oil over top and stir to coat evenly.
• Transfer the corn and onions to a baking tray and spread out in a single layer. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Put the tray in the preheated oven and cook for 25 minutes, stirring once or twice, until corn is tender and onions are just beginning to char on the edges.
• Transfer the cooked corn and onions to a serving bowl and let cool to room temperature before proceeding (you can speed this up by placing the bowl in the refrigerator for 10 minutes).
• While the corn and onions cool, make the dressing by shaking all the ingredients together in a small jar with a tight lid. Taste and adjust seasonings to suit your tastes.
• Once the corn has cooled slightly, add the chopped fresh vegetables (except avocado) to the corn and onions and toss gently. Salad can be prepared to this point and covered; store at room temperature for up to 2 hours or in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours.
• Just before serving, pit and dice the avocado and add to the other vegetables.
• Drizzle the salad dressing over the vegetables and toss gently. Garnish with chopped herbs, if using. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 servings.