If you’re looking for that perfect summer side dish for a hot day, this is it – sweet, savory, crunchy and a touch of heat. But the mint makes this an unforgettable dish.
It’s pretty easy but there is one catch – do not use canned corn! Nope, not even the fire-roasted kind. It will just make a soggy mess of the salad, believe me, I tried! Plus, it’s an excellent excuse to play with fire. In this case, a culinary torch 🙂
Feel free to leave the habaneros out if you prefer to save a step. But they do add a nice surprise a bite or two into the dish!
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 4 heads Sweet corn
- 2 cups Fresh watermelon - cut into 1" cubes
- 1/4 cup Red onion - finely diced
- 1 tbsp Habaneros - fine diced, quick pickled
- 1/4 cup Fresh mint - diced
- 1/2 cup Crumbled feta cheese
- pinch Sea salt
Instructions
- You can really adjust the ingredient proportions to your liking – less bite, fewer onions. Sweeter? More watermelon. Etc.
- I first quick pickle the habanero for about an hour. Dice a habanero, no seeds. Add to small mason jar with equal parts water and a light vinegar (I like citrus or champagne) to cover. Add pinch of sugar and place in fridge for an hour. This takes a lot of the sting out of the habanero but leaves the sweet heat that is so nice in this salad.
- Shuck your corn. There are two ways to prepare the corn. One is simply grilling them over a gas stove or grill. This takes longer and you run the risk of drying your corn out to get the char. I prefer to boil the corn. Bring large pot of water to full boil, add 2 TBSP sugar, add corn, turn off heat, cover pot and let sit for 10 minutes. Remove from pot, dry on clean towel. Using a culinary torch, char the corn to your liking.
- Once corn is charred, carefully slice kernels off into a bowl and toss with fork to separate.
- Add other ingredients to a bowl EXCEPT for the feta, blend well and refrigerate for an hour.
- Remove salad from fridge and drain any excess water using mesh strainer. Drain habaneros with a slotted spoon and add to salad. Now add your feta and stir well to combine.
- Serve and enjoy!
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
