Grilled Romaine And Corn Salad With Herby Mustard Dressing Recipe

When the weather warms up and everyone heads outdoors, it's time to fire up the grill and get creative with summer dinners. While many people think of the grill for burgers and steaks, a whole new world opens up when you embrace the idea of bringing a smoky and caramelized flavor to romaine lettuce. It only takes a few minutes for the heat to bring out the sweetness of the romaine and crisp up the outer leaves. We are pairing the hearty lettuce with grilled corn for more caramelized flavor, a nutty taste, and a crisp, crunchy texture.

Wellness coach and recipe developer Miriam Hahn brings us this recipe and says, "Romaine lettuce is the perfect lettuce variety to grill. The thick stem and tightly packed leaves allow the romaine wedge to hold together well on the grill grates and remain crunchy. I'm adding lots of fresh herbs to this salad, which add to the vibrant, earthy flavor." Grab an apron and fire up the grill — your new outdoor salad is happening now.

To make this salad, start in the produce aisle and pick up some fresh corn, romaine, lemon, grape tomatoes, Italian parsley, cilantro, green onions, shallot, garlic, fresh dill, and chives. It is important that the romaine is at the peak of freshness, so if you buy it a few days ahead, try these handy storage tips.

Then, you'll need some pantry basics — avocado oil, salt, pepper, olive oil, and Dijon mustard. We are using avocado oil here because it has a high smoke point for grilling, while flavorful olive oil is better suited for the dressing.

Preheat the grill to medium-high.

Brush the corn with 1 tablespoon avocado oil on all sides and season with ¼ teaspoon salt and ⅛ teaspoon pepper.

Grill for 30–40 minutes, turning every 10 minutes to char all sides.

Slice the romaine lengthwise into 2 halves. Cut each half again so that you now have 4 long romaine quarters.

Brush the romaine quarters with the remaining avocado oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ⅛ teaspoon pepper.

Place on the grill and cook for 3–5 minutes on each side, until the lettuce is nicely charred.

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, remaining lemon juice, lemon zest, shallot, garlic clove, Dijon, dill, chives, remaining salt, and remaining pepper.

Slice the corn kernels off of the cobs and into a large bowl.

Add the tomatoes, parsley, cilantro, and green onions to the bowl with the corn.

Add the dressing and toss.

Place the grilled romaine on a platter, top with the corn mixture, and serve.

If this charred goodness sounds good to you and you don't have a grill, there is another method. To start, the corn can be cooked in your oven. Preheat the oven to broil. Then, brush the corn with the oil and add the salt and pepper, just as we have outlined in step 2. Place the corn on a baking sheet and broil for 15–20 minutes, rotating every 5 minutes or so as the corn starts to char. You can also char the corn on the stove top by using a cast iron skillet on medium-high heat. You can sear the corn on the cobs, or remove the corn from the cobs and brown the kernels in the skillet.

For the romaine, you'll want to heat up a large stovetop griddle to medium-high heat. Prepare the romaine in the same method, adding the oil, lemon juice, and seasonings. Place it in the skillet and cook for 3–4 minutes on each side, until it is charred. You'll want to stay close by because the romaine can easily burn or overcook. Then, just follow the rest of the steps as written to complete this delicious salad.

The corn salad topping is a great addition to many other dishes. It works particularly well with Mexican-inspired meals. Use it with any type of taco, whether that's a ground beef, chicken, black bean, or lentil taco. Serve the corn salad with bean tostadas, fajitas, or enchiladas, or use it instead of plain corn in burrito bowls. It's also delicious when layered into a cheese quesadilla before cooking. The sweet corn complements the salty and savory melted cheese.

The corn salad can also act as a crowd-pleasing appetizer. Serve it as a chunky dip with a bowl of crispy tortilla or pita chips. Add it to plate of standard nachos or these ultimate chicken nachos to really steal the show. For a unique, handheld snack, roll it up inside puffed pastry, bake for 15 minutes, and serve it with salsa or guacamole.

For a quick lunch, pop some of the corn salad on a slice of avocado toast, or stuff it into a steamy, hot baked potato. You can also roll it up in soft lavash bread or a whole-grain wrap.