Corn Pesto Salad

Corn and pesto might not seem the best mix, but this Corn pesto salad has all the best things that summer has to offer. The goal was to share this recipe earlier in the week, however, even the best intentions cannot be fulfilled unless you actually put in effort and this thought was something I contemplated as I watched the pink clouds drift overhead while waiting for the training last evening. How is it Wednesday already??? I cannot fathom and yet this is the first post all week.

The intention was lost on my otherwise distracted mind and a rather stressful couple of days in the office. Meanwhile, five minutes for myself and looking up the last pieces of my trip that I will be on in a week were spent over this crunchy packed salad which I originally made to fill up my dad during his visit in May. After finishing his first serving of this he declared it was “the best salad he’s ever tasted.”

Because of that declaration, I tried to make it between each stop back in London before we either set off together or he went off on his own adventure. This salad made for light and refreshing eating between our Portuguese tarts and Danish Pastries and it is a great addition to any summer menu.

You could double this recipe and feed a small crowd with this as a side salad and they would likely all love it (though those who eat kosher may be inclined to resist), because the corn is a bright beauty to enjoy along with the other handful of ingredients that work perfectly together.

I’d love to hear what you think of this.

How to prepare Corn Pesto Salad

• Stir together: Stir the scallions, tomatoes and sliced cucumber together in your serving dish.
• Cook the bacon: Fry your bacon until crispy, set aside to on paper towels.
• Cook the corn: In the same frying pan, add the corn and cook until slightly charred in the bacon fat.
• Herby pesto: Turn the corn off the heat and stir the herbs and pesto through until the kernals are well coated.
• Finish the salad: Add the herbed corn to the salad, cut the bacon and stir all the ingredients together.
• Serve: Spoon onto your serving dish and dig in!

Tips for the best Corn Pesto Salad

Cutting your cucumber: There are a number of ways to cut cucumber, because it has a higher water content than most other ingredients here, the smaller you cut the cucumber the quicker you’ll need to serve the salad as it will become a soggy mess otherwise.

Serving the salad: This salad is absolutely best served within a few hours of being made as it won’t last overly long, if kept refrigerated it would be fine to serve within an hour if you’re thinking of bringing this to a barbecue or shared dinner.

More fresh summer lunches you’ll enjoy

Zucchini and Corn Quiche

Mollettes – Mexican Bean Sandwich

Meatball Sandwich

Corn Pesto Salad
Recipe by Roamingtaste
Serves 4

Ingredients:
3 scallions, finely sliced
2/3 cup small cherry or small plum tomatoes, quartered
1/3 cucumber, thinly sliced
1/2 avocado, cubed
6 rashers bacon
2 corn cobs, cooked and kernels removed from stalk
Handful fresh mint, finely chopped
Handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon pesto

Directions:
Place the scallions, tomatoes, cucumber and avocado in your serving dish.

Heat a frying pan on medium heat and fry the bacon until slightly crispy, approximately 4 minutes each side, remove and allow to drain on paper towels.

Keep the heat consistent and add the corn to the frying pan to cook until lightly charred in the bacon fat.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes. Add the finely chopped fresh herbs, olive oil and pesto to the warm corn and stir to coat.

Add the corn to your serving dish alongside the other fresh ingredients.

Roughly chop the bacon and to the salad.

Stir everything together until well combined.

Serve.

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