Shaved Zucchini & Sweet Corn Salad
My summer salad formula is incredibly simple: grab a ton of whatever is in season, prepare it minimally, add a bunch of fresh herbs, toss with some good quality oil and vinegar (or lemon/lime juice) and finish with toasted nuts and cheese. Sometimes I sub freshly torn and prepared croutons for the nuts, other times I add a drizzle of honey or maple syrup, occasionally a sprinkle of red pepper flakes.
Though the formula is relatively straightforward, there is still a lot of versatility in how you prepare the veg (shaved, sliced, roasted, boiled, pickled) and what you choose to pair it with, making an infinite array of options. Here I opt for tender, raw, shaved zucchini as the star of the dish paired with sweet corn, scallions, basil, lemon juice, local hazelnuts and a salty crumbly cheese to bring it all together.
Ingredients
5 scallions, thinly sliced
2 medium zucchini
1½ cups fresh, cooked sweet corn (thawed frozen corn works too)
½ cup basil, cut into thin ribbons
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
½ teaspoon black pepper
1¼ teaspoon salt, divided
½ cup hazelnuts or walnuts
3 ounces salty crumbly cheese (I love Hidden Springs Bad Axe for this, but feta would also work.)
Directions
Place the scallions in a small bowl and cover with cold water. Let sit for 10 minutes and then drain. This will temper their intensity.
Use a vegetable peeler to shave the zucchini into thin ribbons. Peel from all sides and then discard the middle- most seedy part of each zucchini.
Place the zucchini ribbons into a large bowl. Add the drained scallions, sweet corn and basil. Drizzle with lemon juice and 4 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with black pepper and 1 teaspoon salt. Toss gently until the mixture is uniform and the zucchini ribbons are evenly coated with oil and seasoning.
In a small sauté pan, warm the remaining 2 teaspoons of olive oil over medium heat. Add the hazelnuts or walnuts and toast until fragrant, about 8 minutes. Season the nuts with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt and roughly chop. Sprinkle the nuts and cheese over the salad just before serving.
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