Grilled Sweetcorn & Nectarine Salad with Miso dressing

Grilled Sweetcorn & Nectarine Salad with Miso Dressing - a recipe by Alby Hailes Photo: Supplied / Aaron McLean

This fresh and vibrant salad will light up your outdoor summer spread. It's best cooked on the hot barbecue grill, but the sweetcorn, spring onion, and nectarines can easily be grilled in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Just ensure you use a little oil if grilling on the stovetop.

Ingredients

Salad

• 4 large corn cobs, husks and silks removed
• 6 spring onions, cut into 5cm pieces
• 4 nectarines, stones removed, sliced into 1cm wedges
• 1 large handful basil leaves, torn
• 1 telegraph cucumber (about 300g), quartered lengthways and cut into 1cm dice

Miso dressing

• 3tbsp maple syrup
• 1½ tbsp shiro (white) miso paste
• freshly squeezed juice of 2 lemons
• ½ long red chilli, finely chopped
• 6 tbsp olive oil

Method

For the salad, heat a barbecue grill until hot. Barbecue the corn for 10–15 minutes, turning occasionally, until most of the corn kernels are lightly charred. At the same time, barbecue the spring onion for 5–10 minutes, until browned and starting to char a little. Transfer the spring onion to a large bowl. Transfer the corn to a chopping board. Once cool enough to handle, stand the corn upright, and use a small sharp knife to cut off the kernels. Add the corn to the bowl with the spring onions and discard the cobs.

Place the nectarine wedges on the barbecue and grill for 3 minutes, turning to cook both sides, until browned and softened a little. Add the grilled nectarine to the bowl, along with the basil and cucumber.

For the miso dressing, place all the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Pour the dressing over the warm salad and toss through to coat. Transfer to a serving dish. This salad is best served warm, but is happily refrigerated and eaten cold the following day.