Tomato, Corn, and Avocado Salad

Summer perfection on a plate. This tomato, corn, and avocado is perfect for those hot summer days. Corn and tomatoes at their summer best. Paired with avocado and you’ve got yourself a salad!

Anything that doesn’t require turning on the oven, sign me up! We’ve hit that part of the summer where it’s stinking hot! Enter more salads that are cool, refreshing, and using summer’s peak in-season crops. The corn and tomatoes this year have been beyond delicious. Crisp, juicy, and so hydrating on those hot summer days when all I want to do is quench my thirst. And if I’m not eating my salads, I’m definitely eating my popsicles.

Here in Miami it’s actually too hot to grow much. There is some tropical fruit in abundance, however, the summer is when the farmer’s take their ‘time off’. But also, summer is the time to sign-up for a local CSA to help support the farmer up-front. In essence you’re helping the farmer stay in business and come harvest time you’re receiving the bounty of produce they grow during the peak.

I’ve been going to the Legion’s Park Farmer’s Market for awhile now and love to support a few different farms. The lettuce I always end up purchasing is from French Farms. I even had the opportunity to go to a farm-to-table dinner a couple months back that featured his produce. Talk about a phenomenal experience! I signed up to support his farm. However, my encouragement is to support local (if you can) and check out the others here in South Florida to see which one is the best fit for you.

Ingredients: Tomato, Corn & Avocado Salad

1. Corn: This salad is best in the summertime when the corn is fresh. Unfortunately, I don’t recommend canned or frozen for this particular salad. Funny story: when I bought 3 ears of corn for recipe testing, each ear of corn was different: white, yellow, and bicolor. I ended up mixing them altogether. All equally delicious, just a different look.
2. Tomato: love using the little grape tomatoes here in this recipe. While you could use a beefsteak or heirloom, I prefer the smaller bite sized bites. They also tend to be a tad less watery, which is helpful for the salad.
3. Avocado: while expensive right now, they do add a creaminess to the salad that I would say is a must add-in. The key is making sure it’s ripe in time. There could be worse problems.
4. Lime: Many times I’ll use just the lime juice and not the zest. This is just a preference and the juice gives enough flavor. Any time I’ve used the zest it leaves a bitter taste when I eat leftovers, so if you’re eating it all in one sitting, feel free to add a teaspoon of lime zest, otherwise, leave it out and use just the juice.
5. Grapeseed Oil: or Safflower oil. The key here is that you want an oil without too much flavor. I’m the first to use olive oil, however, in this recipe you really want the key players: corn, tomato, and avocado, to shine and not the oil to stand out.
6. Salt/Pepper: just a dash, but a little goes a long way and that little also helps marry the flavors. You can always add more later, but start with less at first – it’s always easier to add as you can’t take away once it’s been added.

How To Make Tomato, Corn & Avocado Salad

This is another recipe that is really as simple as pairing a few in-season items with a simple vinaigrette. Served best fresh, although I’m here to tell you I’ve eaten this Tomato, Corn, and Avocado salad days later and it still tastes as good as it did day one. It’s the avocado that starts to turn a bit brown is all. I chose to go with a lime base for the dressing, although you could use this lemon vinaigrette and even the balsamic vinaigrette if that’s more your taste preference. Regardless, this salad is simple yet impressive. Make sure to add it to your next summer get-together!

1. Cut – Stand the ear of corn in a large bowl and/or in the hole of a Bundt pan; with a sharp knife, carefully slice downward to remove the corn kernels. Discard the corn cob. I always use protective knife gloves when I’m cutting.
2. Prepare – the tomato, avocado, and scallions next. You can slice the tomatoes in half and/or quarter them if they’re a tad larger. Additionally, cut the avocado into small cubes. Slice your scallions at an angle.
3. Juice – The best way to get more juice out of your citrus is to microwave for them for at least 20 seconds. And of course aim to not buy limes/lemons that are super dry, but it happens to the best of us.
4. Mix – Add your tomatoes, avocado, scallions, lime juice, and oil. Stir together gently, so as not to smoosh the avocado any. Sprinkle with a dash of salt and pepper.
5. Enjoy – best served fresh, but as noted, it can stay for up to 3-4 days in the refrigerator.

Other Summer Salad Recipes:

• Fig, Burrata, Arugula Salad
• Heirloom Tomato Salad
• Watermelon, Mint, & Feta Salad
• Zoodle Salad

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