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Saturday, September 24, 2016

A Final Ode to Summer: Yellow Pepper and Corn Salad with Turmeric Dressing


A Final Ode to Summer:  Dressing



A Final Ode to Summer:  Yellow Pepper and Corn Salad with Turmeric Dressing

by Victoria Challancin


In my desire to post something before leaving for a month in Morocco, I found myself tossing around two ideas:  poetry and hyperbole.  The poetry aspect stems from my earlier academic days spent in the study of literature.  My life has changed over time, of course, but those leanings are still with me, if now translated into my love of food.  So forgive me if I now write about food as if it were some piece of artistic, creative, and possibly verbal tribute and proof as to the wonder of our world.

Where does hyperbole enter the picture?  Why, from the internet, of course.  The internet, which is practically synonymous with hyperbole.  Take, for instance, the exaggerated claims of so many recipes presented to us daily online:  "the best and only recipe for chocolate cake,"  "the only recipe you will ever need for crab cakes," "a life-changing recipe for applesauce?"  Who can resist a mere click to see what is on offer?

So now I give you a double dose of poetry, in the form of my final culinary ode to the last days of summer produce, and hyperbole by offering you a recipe for what is simply one of the best dishes I have tasted and made in years.  It truly is that good.  No exaggeration needed.

One friend, who particularly loves this recipe for a roasted yellow bell pepper and corn salad tells me she eats it alone, on sandwiches, on pasta...with just about everything she can find in her kitchen. Although I used powdered turmeric for this recipe, another friend who equally appreciates this dish, tells me it is even better when fresh turmeric is used.  Either way, I think you will love this.




Yellow Pepper and Corn Salad with Turmeric Dressing


Cook's Notes:  I had intended to add watercress to this salad, but in the rush of getting everything prepared in a timely way in a cooking class, I simply forgot it.  But as the original recipe stipulates, endive, frisée, or, I would think, any green of choice would be a lovely addition.  Also, if you have fresh turmeric, by all means, use it!  Just think of the health benefits!

Yellow Pepper and Corn Salad with Turmeric Dressing

(Recipe from Bon Appétit, September 2016)

Recipe by Yotam Ottolenghi

Makes 4 servings

Dressing:

1 jalapeño, seeds removed, chopped

1 4-inch piece turmeric, peeled, chopped, or ¾ teaspoon ground turmeric

1 1-inch piece ginger, peeled, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
¼ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon finely grated lime zest
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Kosher salt

Salad and Assembly:

3 ears of corn, husked
2 yellow bell peppers
4 ounces Sun Gold or cherry tomatoes
2 endive, leaves separated, halved if large, or 1 large head of frisée, torn into bite-size pieces
2 cups dandelion greens or arugula
Kosher salt

Dressing:

Pulse jalapeño, turmeric, ginger, garlic, cilantro, oil, lime zest, and lime juice in a food processor until smooth with a few flecks of cilantro. Transfer to a small bowl; season with salt.

Salad and Assembly:

Prepare a grill for high heat. Grill corn, turning occasionally, until charred and cooked through, 6–8 minutes. Let cool; cut kernels off cobs and place in a large bowl. (Or, cut kernels from cobs and char in a dry cast-iron skillet over medium-high, 8–10 minutes.)

Heat broiler. Broil peppers on a rimmed baking sheet, turning occasionally, until blackened in spots and nearly cooked through, 12–18 minutes. Let cool; cut into 1" strips, retaining as much charred skin as possible; add to corn.




Soon, I promise to give you the recipe for this beauty, which is, of course, a sort of hands-on free verse poem in the form of a vegetable tart, if you will, intended to laud the beginning of a new season and the glories of fall produce.





Parting Shot:  Lotus in the Pond of a Friend's Garden in Tepoztlán, Mexico


©Victoria Challancin.  All Rights Reserved.

Flavors of the Sun Cooking School
San Miguel de Allende, México





9 comments:

laura ann loveland said...

Buenos dias,Vicki. Again,as always,your latest posting for the "Final Ode to Summer" is wonderful and your fantastic photography makes the dish "good enough to eat"! I am also getting more and more envious just thinking of your upcoming departure to Morocco. Lucky lady! Laura

Unknown said...

I think this is the same one that your sister in law prepared for a small group. If it is one and the same there is no amount of hyperbole or poetry that could do it justice. Of course I cringed at the amount of prep involved but its worth every second of it! Anyone out there want to volunteer to make it for us??? I'd pay up for sure!
Margaret

Eha said...

OMG! And there my imagination had you already sitting on a camel ahead of a train of excited participants in the High Atlas mountains! You have made my day putting the 'arts' and cooking [surely another art!!] in the same basket! A recipe I shall copy especially since I SO believe in turmeric . . . . no frisee but do have arugula . . . [hyperbole: Vicki, beautiful gal, do NOT get me started on that . . . I just might say something unsuitable to the site!!!!] . . . .

Anonymous said...

that sounds wonderful and except for the corn, very low in carbs. i am in the diabetic range now so eating a lot healthier foods than i have in a while.

on the 1st it will be 3 months since we moved back from japan. absolutely loved our 5 years there but it's great to be back home.

have fun in morocco.

teresa in lake stevens

p.s. i have no idea what fresh turmeric looks like-guess i'll google it.

Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella said...

I hope you're having a great time in Morocco. The colour of this salad is so welcoming :D And I love your vegetable spiral tart too. I made one recently too and really enjoyed the whole process.

Karen (Back Road Journal) said...

I hope you are enjoying your time spent in Morocco. I'm happy that you have shared this recipe, it does sound good.

Hotly Spiced said...

Another trip to Morocco! I hope it went well. The turmeric certainly gives this salad a very pretty colour xx

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