Grilled Corn Panzanella

Sweet summer corn, juicy tomatoes, and toasty bread come together in this grilled corn panzanella, a fresh and vibrant twist on the classic Italian bread salad. Light yet hearty, it’s the perfect way to savor peak-season produce.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 8 ounces fresh mozzarella, torn into roughly 1-inch pieces
  • 1 1/2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cut into roughly 1-inch pieces, or 2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 2 Persian or mini seedless cucumbers, cut ¼ inch thick
  • 1 shallot, thinly sliced
  • Salt and black pepper
  • 1 (12-ounce) loaf sourdough or rustic bread, sliced 1 inch thick
  • 3 ears of corn, shucked
  • 20 basil leaves, torn if large

Instructions: 

  1. Heat a grill to medium-high. In a very large bowl, stir together the oil, vinegar and mozzarella. Place a large colander or sieve on top of the mozzarella mixture. Add the tomatoes, cucumbers and shallot to the colander and season generously with salt, about 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal or 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt. Stir to coat. Set aside to allow the tomato and cucumber juices to form a vinaigrette with the oil and vinegar beneath.
  2. On a sheet pan, brush the bread and corn all over with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Head outside with the sheet pan and tongs.
  3. Grill the corn, turning occasionally, until browned in spots, 10 to 12 minutes. Grill the bread until crisp and charred in spots, 1 to 3 minutes per side. (Watch closely; bread likes to burn.) Return ingredients to the sheet pan as they finish, then head back inside.
  4. Shake the colander of tomatoes and cucumbers to get all the juices in the bowl, then set the colander aside in the sink. Tear the bread into 1-inch pieces and cut the kernels off the cobs. To the bowl of mozzarella, add the bread, corn, tomatoes, cucumbers, shallots and basil and toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve right away or let sit, stirring occasionally, for up to 30 minutes.

 

Recipe and photography courtesy of the New York Times Cooking