Mint has been highly esteemed throughout history, referenced both in Greek mythology as well as biblically. In its fresh form it is one of my favorite herbs. I use it in tabouleh, cucumber salad, minty tahini dressing, watermelon salad and mojitos. We always have a container of mint growing in the garden. This lovely salad was adapted from a recipe I found in the New York Times “What To Cook This Week” email I subscribe to. Its ingredients include crisp cucumbers, sweet tomatoes and corn, rich and creamy avocado, feta, and of course mint. When corn is available I make this salad often. Sometimes I’ll char the corn on the grill for a few minutes if I have time.
The dressing is quite simple to make. Mince some red onion and let it macerate in the lime juice for a short time along with fresh ground pepper and salt. Set the bowl aside while you slice the cucumbers and other vegetables. Finally, whisk in the olive oil and a bit of cumin.
If you have time grill your corn for a few minutes. This will add a subtle smokiness to your salad.
In the version above, the corn was grilled before tossing it with the dressing. I sprinkled Korean chili flakes over the salad before serving. You could also use Aleppo pepper or crushed red pepper flakes, or none at all. The salad below uses corn that was steamed for just a minute in the microwave. A few sprigs of watercress were tossed into the salad.
- ¼ cup finely diced red onion
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (up to 4 tablespoons if you prefer a less tangy dressing)
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups tender corn kernels
- 2 large firm-ripe avocados
- 1½ cups sliced cucumbers
- 12 cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered if large
- handful of watercress sprigs (optional)
- handful of mint leaves, roughly torn
- 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
- pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)
- In a medium bowl, combine diced onions, lime juice, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Let macerate for 15 minutes, then whisk in olive oil and cumin.
- Spoon a generous amount of the dressing over the corn and toss to coat.
- Cut avocados in thick slices and arrange in a random pattern on a platter. Top with the cucumbers, cherry tomatoes, and watercress if using.
- Spoon the corn over the salad, Scatter feta and mint over the top. Sprinkle a bit of crushed red pepper over the salad. Drizzle with extra dressing and serve.
