CHARRED AND RAW CORN SALAD WITH TOMATILLO RELISH

Prepping corn is one of my favorite ways to get everyone involved with cooking: My yard is often filled with kids shucking poolside as reggae blasts from speakers on the deck. In Amagansett, we buy ours by the bushel from Balsam Farms. It never needs butter or salt, and we often eat it raw or charred on the grill. This salad lets you have it both ways. The recipe came about almost by accident. I was making tomatillo salsa and had no idea that tomatillos are supposed to be roasted first. I chopped them up raw and let them macerate in vinegar with some scallions—and I was blown away by the delicious result. I tossed the salsa with some corn as a little taste test, and just like that, a salad was born!

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Make the relish: In a large bowl, whisk together the lime juice, vinegar, oil, garlic, honey, and salt until well combined. Add the onions, habanero, and tomatillos to the mixture and toss to coat. Set aside to macerate at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours.

Step 2

Make the salad: Preheat a grill over medium-high to 400°F (205°C) or set a grill pan on the stove over high heat. Rub four ears of corn with oil until they are evenly coated. Put the ears of corn on the grill and cook until char marks appear on the kernels, about 4 minutes per side. Remove the corn from the grill and set it aside until it’s cool enough to be handled comfortably. Using a sharp knife, cut the kernels off both the charred and remaining two raw cobs directly into a large bowl. Add the radishes and jalapeño and toss to mix until combined.

Step 3

After macerating for 1 to 2 hours, the tomatillo relish will have accumulated about ¼ to ½ cup (60 to 120 ml) of liquid. Pour off half of this liquid (you can either discard or reserve it to dress another salad—it’s delicious!). Pour the tomatillo relish over the corn and mix to combine. You can let the salad sit, covered, at room temperature for up to overnight; before serving, top it with the cheese, torn herbs, and lime zest and juice.

Step 4

swoon tip This salad is all about embracing juxtaposition. Because the ingredients are sliced into different shapes, the radish matchsticks provide geometric contrast to the jalapeño rounds. And the corn is the true workhorse:

Step 5

Served raw, charred, in kernels, and in clusters, it’s proof a single vegetable can provide a range of flavors, temperatures, and textures. As you slice it off the cob, be sure to keep some larger chunks intact for maximum variety.