Chez Panisse, the Bay Area restaurant where Samin Nosrat trained, has a reputation for being fanatical about seasonal produce. And while she acknowledges that she isn’t as fanatical as she once was (“Sometimes I make baba ganoush in January!”), that impulse is still foundational to her cooking. “One of the things that will never leave my body is the way you get to look forward to something returning every year, and that it feels like this reintroduction,” she reflects. This grilled salad, a tumble of the best ingredients that high summer has to offer, is one she makes every year, and is also one of the first things she cooked outside the restaurant that really felt like her own creation. “There’s a pleasure in remembering how good it all tastes again,” she smiles.
And while peak season vegetables are the star of the show here, the luxuriously creamy dressing deserves its own shoutout. It uses aquafaba, the viscous liquid from a can of chickpeas (or any other canned white bean), to create a rich emulsion that will remain thick and stable for several days in the fridge. Savory with miso, tart with lemon, and with the fun crunch of poppy seeds, it can make a great salad out of just about any vegetable (just ask a plain bowl of lettuce).
Recipe information
Total Time
45 minutes
Yield
4 servings
Ingredients
Dressing
Salad and Assembly
Preparation
Dressing
Step 1
Blend ¼ cup strained aquafaba (from one 15-oz. can chickpeas), 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard, and 3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar in a medium jar with an immersion blender until frothy. With the motor running, gradually stream in ¾ cup vegetable oil, blending until smooth and emulsified. Add 2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped, 2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest, ¼ cup fresh lemon juice, ¼ cup sugar, 3 Tbsp. white miso, 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, 1 tsp. onion powder, ¼ tsp. celery seeds, and remaining 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar and blend until dressing is smooth and creamy, then stir in 2 Tbsp. poppy seeds. (Alternatively, you can make the dressing in a regular blender if you don’t have an immersion blender.)
Do Ahead: Dressing can be made 4 days ahead. Cover and chill.
Salad and Assembly
Step 2
Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Combine 3 ears of corn, husked, and 8 oz. shishito peppers in a large bowl. Drizzle 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil over and turn to coat; season with kosher salt. Grill corn, turning often, until charred all over, 10–12 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board; let sit until cool enough to handle.
Step 3
Meanwhile, grill peppers, turning often, until softened, about 5 minutes; transfer to a large bowl.
Step 4
Cut kernels from corn cobs and add to bowl with peppers; discard cobs. Add 1 avocado, thinly sliced, ½ bunch cilantro, tough stems removed, 8 oz. cherry tomatoes, halved, ½ cup thinly sliced raw or pickled red onion, and ½ cup dressing to bowl (save remaining dressing for another use) and toss to coat. Taste salad and season with more salt if needed.
Recipe notes
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