Avocado and Grilled Corn Salad with Green Goddess Dressing

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© Brian Bowen Smith

I love this salad either on its own for a light summer dinner, or as a side dish to the Turkey Meatloaf Burgers. I like to finely chop my lettuce because I always eat my salads right away (your chopped lettuce may brown if you don’t eat it right away). Let’s talk about the dressing for a minute. It can be made ahead of time, and it can also be used as a dip for crudités. Don’t be afraid of the anchovy in it. Here’s the thing about anchovies in dressings —they don’t add a fishy flavor, they increase the saltiness. Iodized or salt flakes just don’t cut it. Anchovies are really the best way to get a more intense and well-rounded salt flavor in your dressing.

Instructions

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high (about 450°F). Rub the corn and jalapeño with the oil. Grill, uncovered, turning occasionally, until tender and charred in spots, about 6 minutes for the jalapeño and 12 minutes for the corn. Let stand until cool enough to handle.

2. Cut the kernels from the cobs, and place the kernels in a large bowl. Add the romaine and avocado to the bowl.

3. Remove the stem and seeds from the jalapeño. Process the jalapeño, mayonnaise, buttermilk, parsley, chives, lemon juice, dill, anchovy, garlic, and salt in a blender until smooth.

4. Add just enough of the dressing to coat the salad; toss to coat. Store the remaining dressing in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Ingredients

3 ears fresh corn, husks removed
1 small jalapeño chile
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 romaine lettuce heart, chopped
1 large, ripe avocado, chopped
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 anchovy fillet
1 small garlic clove, grated
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt