Tomato, Nectarine and Corn Salad

Summer is the season for salad, and what could be more fitting than a salad composed of all of the season’s freshest produce? Here, I started with spinach as the base, for some green goodness that has a little more flavor than your average salad greens. Then, I roasted corn over a fire, which gave the salad some smoky depth and sweet flavor, and added in ripe nectarines and juicy little cherry tomatoes for more delicious zest. To complement the sweet flavors of the salad, I crumbled salty feta cheese over the salad and dressed it with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. It was an easy, delicious lunch, (and a nice switch from my usual Greek salad!) that made perfect use of the last nectarines in the fridge.

Yield: 1 salad, serving 2

Why I love this recipe: smoky roasted corn, acidic tomatoes, sweet nectarines and slightly bitter greens combine to make a salad with a mouthful of flavor that’s reminiscent of late summer, while salty little crumbles of feta add creaminess + highlight the sweetness of the nectarines.

• 3-4 nectarines
• 1/2 cup ripe cherry tomatoes
• 3 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
• 1 ear of fresh corn
• 2 cups spinach
• 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

1. First, shuck corn. Wash and dry thoroughly.
2. Over a hot grill or an open gas-stove flame, char the corn until well-blackened but not completely burnt. It will pop and emit little sparks, but this is okay.
3. Remove cob from heat, and when cool enough to handle, shave off kernels using a large knife.
4. Rinse and dry the spinach, cut off the stems and cut the larger leaves in half. Slice the nectarines and tomatoes into wedges.
5. To make the dressing, whisk together 1/4  cup of balsamic vinegar with 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil.
6. Combine the spinach, nectarines, tomatoes and corn and toss with dressing. Top with crumbled feta cheese.
7. Season salad with sea salt and black pepper.