Sweet Corn Caesar Salad

July 27th, 2012

I put this recipe together as my first guest post for Made By Girl…full of fresh ingredients from the market, it might be one of the best meals I’ve ever made to date. By putting your grill to work, this salad recipe is perfect for a night on the patio and easy enough for even novice chefs. Don’t be intimidated by the number of ingredients…this comes together in an hour, or less if you have a helper. And you can even complete the first steps (sweet corn salsa and roasted poblano dressing) ahead of time.

PS, homemade croutons are so easy. Here’s how: Just preheat your oven to 400 degrees, cut half a loaf of day old, grainy bread into cubes, then place them in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Mix well with your hands, spread on a cookie sheet and bake 15 minutes. They’ll be flavorful and crunchy!

Sweet Corn Caesar with Roasted Poblano Dressing

For the dressing:

1 poblano pepper, roasted, seeded and peeled

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

1/2 tablespoon green onions, chopped

1/4 teaspoon each of dried oregano and basil

4 tablespoons buttermilk

1 cup mayo (I use the Kraft olive oil, reduced fat version)

Salt and pepper to taste

For the corn salsa:

2 ears of fresh corn, grilled (or substitute frozen corn)

1 poblano pepper, roasted, seeded and peeled

1 serrano or jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced

3 tablespoons red onion, diced

1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

1/2 a lime, juiced

1/2 teaspoon sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

For the salad:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, grilled

1 red bell pepper, roasted on the grill

1 small head of romaine lettuce, chopped

1 avocado, sliced

2 hard-boiled eggs, yolks discarded and whites chopped

Parmesan, shaved into slices

Croutons (homemade per above or store bought)

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Soak corn (in husks) in water for a few minutes. Slice both poblano peppers and the red pepper in half, from top to bottom. Lightly brush peppers with olive oil then place skin-side down on grill, along with the corn (still in husks). After 5-7 minutes, once blackened and blistering, remove all peppers and set aside to cool. Carefully remove corn husks, then return corn to grill for just another few minutes, turning once to lightly char each side. Peel skin from both poblanos, remove seeds and dice. Slice the roasted red pepper into thin strips. Using a knife, remove corn from the cobs.

Place half the diced, roasted poblano peppers, plus all other dressing ingredients in a small food processor and blend until smooth. Add an extra tablespoon of regular milk if you find it too thick. Let dressing stand in the refrigerator while you prepare the rest of the salad.

In a large bowl, combine the two cups of corn and remaining diced poblano with onion, serrano pepper, and cilantro. Season with sugar, salt and pepper then toss with fresh lime juice. Set sweet corn salsa aside. In a large salad bowl, combine lettuce and coat with the roasted poblano dressing to your liking. Serve lettuce onto plates, then let each person top with remaining ingredients: grilled chicken, sweet corn salsa, roasted red pepper strips, hard-boiled eggs, avocado slices, Parmesan and croutons.