Corn and Tomato Fiesta Salad is a great dish to take to gatherings. It takes minutes to prepare, and is easy to pack and transport. Show it off in an attractive serving bowl and watch it disappear!
The cool freshness plays well against burgers, steak, chicken or turkey. Make it a couple of hours in advance, and while it is chilling you can focus on the hot entrée. Everyone will love it.
| WHAT YOU NEED | WHAT TO DO | WHY |
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For the Zesty Italian Dressing, whisk all together in a 3-quart bowl. | A shallot resembles a tiny red onion. Its flavor is a cross between onion and garlic, and its texture is very fine. Honey imparts a hint of sweetness and acts as an emulsifier (an agent that helps prevent the separation of other ingredients). |
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Add to dressing. Tip: With onion on its side, cut off and discard stem and root. Cut in half from pole to pole; discard dry or tough layers. Place cut sides down and slice parallel to the equator to ¼ inch, holding the pieces together as you work. Cut across slices to dice. |
Fresh onion adds a nice crunch. Red tomatoes add nice contrast color. Holding slices together while dicing reduces exposure to eye-irritants. |
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Add to dressing. Tip: To cut corn from the cob, remove husks and silk; brush with a dry paper towel to remove any persistent silk strands. Cut 1 inch from each end of the cob to reveal kernel depth. Stabilize a 5-quart bowl on the workspace by placing it over a damp washcloth. With a cob on end inside the bowl, use a downward cut to free several rows of kernels. Rotate cob and repeat to remove remaining kernels. |
Uncooked corn adds fresh taste and texture. |
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Distribute over corn; toss all together. Cover and chill 2-3 hours. Tip: Gather up a few basil leaves; stack and roll neatly together. Cut across the roll with a sharp knife to julienne. |
This salad tastes best chilled after the flavors have had time to come together. |
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Toss salad just before transferring to a serving bowl; crack pepper on top. |
