Corn & Avocado Salad

Picture it...Boston, 2008-we were in a trendy downtown office building-suits were everywhere. A local catering company had just delivered lunch and before the administrative assistants could set up the plates, a long line had formed...grown men were hopping up and down, obviously anxious for their turn*...


What, you ask, was for lunch? (Wait for it...) Corn & Avocado Salad.

Yes. Really.

Never in my career have I seen this sort of enthusiasm for any food, let alone a corn & avocado salad. Yet, here I was, watching otherwise stuffy executives turn into little kids at the ice cream truck.

Now, I ask you-how could this recipe NOT be shared?

*This part may have been embellished for added drama.

For vinaigrette:
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon salt
2 pinches freshly ground white pepper
Pinch sugar
3 tablespoons lime juice (from 1 or 2 limes)
3 tablespoons lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

For salad:
2 cups fresh, raw corn kernels
2 tablespoons diced red, yellow or orange bell pepper
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon diced red onion
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 avocados

In a mixing bowl, make the vinaigrette by whisking together mustard, salt, pepper, sugar and lime and lemon juices. Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Transfer to a container and store tightly covered in the refrigerator up to a week.

In another bowl, make the corn relish by combining 1/4 cup of the vinaigrette with the corn, bell pepper, cilantro and onion. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.

To assemble salad, peel and slice the avocados. Arrange slices on 4 chilled salad plates. Spoon one-quarter of the corn relish onto each plate. Drizzle with remaining vinaigrette. Season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Makes 4 servings.