Blistered Corn, Lady Pea & Tomato Salad with Miso Vinaigrette

My favorite summer combination just got a fancy new dressing, and I can’t stop eating it.

And sometimes the simplest combinations with the freshest ingredients can be far more exquisite and exciting than even the most complicated of dishes.

Lady peas, heirloom tomatoes and Southern corn on the cob get tossed together a lot in my kitchen this time of year. Maybe it’s because they have such a short season together. Or maybe it’s because they require little to no preparation. Or maybe it’s because they are all just the right spoon-filling size!  I stumbled upon this recipe after I’d made a batch of my favorite miso vinaigrette, one I usually toss over grains and greens. I’d just boiled a pot of peas and decided to toss some of the vinaigrette right in. It was delightful.

A word on miso: It should be a staple in your kitchen. I love the subtle savory-sweet flavor that miso lends to delicate foods like soups, vegetables and fish. I also love the health benefits. Miso is a fermented soybean paste that may improve digestion, reduce bloating and support a healthy immune system by protecting the body against harmful bacteria. It’s buttery, too, making it the perfect not-so-secret-weapon in this summer-filled salad. I love it. And I think you will, too.

This salad couldn’t be simpler — lady peas, cherry tomatoes, ripe avocado, fresh basil and fresh mozzarella, all delicately bathed in a zippy miso vinaigrette. It’s creamy, crunchy, buttery and bright.

And because it’s summer, I decided to throw the corn on the grill to give it an elevated layer of smokiness. Don’t want to light up a grill? You can rotate the corn in a hot skillet or run under the broiler for a minute or two. And if the corn is super fresh (like most of the corn I’m seeing at the farmer’s market right now), you can even leave it raw.  This salad is the perfect complement to any summer grilling session. Or, it can be eaten as is, straight out of the bowl.

 

Blistered Corn, Lady Pea & Tomato Salad with Miso Vinaigrette

Serves 6

Miso Vinaigrette

• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 tablespoon miso paste
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon thinly sliced basil
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Lady Pea Salad

• 1 cup lady peas (or other Southern pea such as purple hull, zipper or crowder)
• 1 cup heirloom grape tomatoes, halved
• 3 ears of corn, shucked
• 1 cup fresh basil, torn
• 4 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
• 1 ripe avocado, cubed
• ¼ cup chopped marcona almonds
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

To make vinaigrette: Combine shallot, miso, mustard, vinegar, basil and oil in a mason jar. Seal jar; shake vigorously 30 seconds or until well combined.

To make salad: Preheat grill to medium. Drizzle 2 teaspoons olive oil over corn; grill 6-7 minutes, turning often, until corn is charred all around. Cool slightly, carefully cut corn off cob into a large bowl.

Boil peas 5 to 7 minutes in salted water until tender. Add peas, tomatoes, basil, cheese and avocado to corn. Drizzle with ¼ cup vinaigrette. Toss to combine. Sprinkle with almonds and black pepper.

 

Sidney Fry is a two-time James-Beard-Award-winning food and nutrition writer who loves creating simple, healthy recipes and thoughtful, actionable content for the hungry consumer. A healthy living proactivist, Sidney is also a registered dietitian nutritionist, recipe developer and mama of three based in Birmingham, Alabama.