July is National Grilling month, and to celebrate we're sharing a new recipe each week that takes you straight from your garden to the grill and to the table!
We hope that by now you've finished your spring planting and are able to enjoy your outdoor living spaces - maybe you're even grilling in your outdoor kitchen!
Our first recipe is on our fellow Marylanders will appreciate, because the hero in this recipe is the tomato!
Charred corn & tomato salad with halloumi cheese
Sweet summer corn and tomatoes are elevated with a fragrant tarragon dressing and flavor-packed halloumi cheese. The firm Mediterranean cheese holds up well to heat, making it ideal for grilling. Look for halloumi in the deli section of your supermarket – it’s often sold alongside feta and bocconcini. You can also omit it or used a plant-based cheese for a vegan version of this recipe!
Ingredients
1 lemon, halved
1/4 cup fresh tarragon
2½ tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
1/4 tsp each sea salt and ground black pepper
8 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
2 ears corn, husked
4 oz halloumi cheese, cut in ¼-inch-thick slices (or plant-based cheese)
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced
1 green onion, thinly sliced
Preparation:
Heat a grill to medium-high and brush grates with cooking oil. Place lemon halves, cut sides down, on grill. Close lid and grill until lemon is grill-marked, 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool enough to handle. Squeeze juice from lemon into a small bowl.
Prepare dressing: In a small food processor, blend lemon juice, tarragon, 1½ tbsp olive oil, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper until well combined. Set aside.
Brush tomatoes, corn and halloumi all over with remaining 1 tbsp olive oil. Place corn on grill. Close lid and grill, turning often, until bright yellow and grill-marked, 7 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool enough to handle.
Meanwhile, place halloumi on grill. Close lid and grill, turning once, until grill-marked, about 4 minutes. Place tomatoes, cut side down, on grill. Close lid and grill, without turning, until slightly softened and grill-marked, about 2 minutes.
Halve each tomato piece lengthwise to make wedges. Cut kernels from corn. Divide tomatoes and avocado among plates. Top with corn, halloumi, onion and dressing.
Check in next week for another garden to grill recipe you can enjoy on your patio outdoors or inside too. If you haven't already, make sure that you reach out to Rooted in Nature for your outdoor landscaping, patio, firepit, and walkway needs. 443-846-0199 or info@rootedinnaturemd.com.