More and more chefs are using wood-fired ovens and open grills to add deep flavor to their dishes. And it’s not just for meats! We are seeing a variety of vegetables given this high-heat, flavor-intensive treatment. So with summer’s bounty in full force, we were inspired to make a Grilled Corn and Olive Salad in the Olinda kitchen. This versatile salad has become a staple on our summer menus.

We love the play of sweet corn with our briny, slightly bitter olives. To really bump up the flavor, we decided to toss in two types of olives: our crunchy California Queens and our intense Sun Dried Black Olives. The dressing is simply fresh lemon juice and Olinda Extra Virgin Olive oil – you don’t need much else when the produce is this fresh!

Ingredients:

4 ears sweet corn

Olinda Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/2 cup California Queen Olives, sliced

1/4 cup Sun Dried Olives, minced

1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half

1/4 red onion, peeled minced

1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped

2 ounces pepper jack cheese, diced

1 lemon, juiced

Method:

  1. Preheat a grill on medium.

  2. Lightly coat the corn with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

  3. Grill the corn on all sides until charred. Remove and let cool. Cut the kernels off the cob and place in a large bowl.

  4. Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl.

  5. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

  6. Toss together and check seasoning in the olive salad. Add more salt, pepper, lemon juice or olive oil as needed.