Avocado, Corn and Tomato Salad{Plus a Reading Update}

July is behind us and I can’t say I’m sorry. While August has blazed in with as much heat, humidity and thunderstorms as last month, hopefully that pattern won’t continue long. To keep the kitchen cool we are using the oven sparingly. Refreshing salads have taken a starring role on our table.




The month of July we stayed in more and read. Doug finished the last Jimmy O’Brien mystery and discovered there won’t be anymore. The author, Jeff Sherratt, died before finishing the book but his wife penned the last 100 pages. So that’s the end of Jimmy O’Brien series. He also read City of Mirrors by Justin Cronin and Sharky’s Machine by William Diehl.



I finished The Twelve and liked it, Justin Cronin is a great writer. The scenes are so descriptive you can picture it as if you were in the room or part of the conversation. Now I am on to City of Mirrors. Doug loaded it on to his old tablet so I could borrow it. It can’t be loaned through Kindle but we found a way around that.

As for riding we haven’t gone very far due to the extreme heat of the afternoons. This past Sunday we rode into Georgia for some breakfast and took a long way home. I love the rural roads.

Speaking of heat – here is a salad that mixes hot and cold ingredients that’s easy to make and bursts with flavor. So many complimentary ingredients but I learned a lesson – just make the amount you want to eat for one meal. It’s easy enough to recreate another night but doesn’t hold over all that well.



I made my own adaptions to a David Lebovitz recipe. Changing out quantities and the type of cheese. Also, don’t put the dressing on the entire salad, just the serving you are eating so it doesn’t get mushy when storing. We had it the next evening and found the skins separated from the cooked tomatoes. It wasn’t unpleasant, just tasted better with hot tomatoes. It’s a winner of a recipe and a good salad for a main meal or an accompaniment.



Avocado, Corn and Tomato Salad

Ingredients

• 12 ounces of grape or cherry tomatoes (I probably used more)
• 3 ears of fresh corn, shucked (or 3/3 of a can of good quality canned corn)
• ⅔ of a large cucumber, cubed
• 1 avocado, cubed
• ½ onion, chopped
• 10 ounces or so of halloumi cheese, chopped into cubes ( I couldn’t find any so I tried using cubed mozzarella.)
• 2 tablespoons oil for cooking
• fresh basil leaves.

1. Cut the tomatoes in half. Cut corn off cob or is using canned corn, mix corn and tomatoes together. Drizzle with olive oil. Roast the tomatoes and corn on a baking tray for 10 minutes at 350 F..

2. While the tomatoes and corn are roasting, heat oil in a frying pan the add halloumi cubes. Let cook for two or three minutes without moving, then toss and let cook for a minute or two longer. Repeat until the cheese is well browned and crispy. Drain on kitchen paper. * Note: I used mozzarella and it was a hot mess.

3. Get the tomatoes and corn out of the oven and tip into a large bowl. Now add the cut up cucumber, avocado and onion. Stir in the basil and top with hot cheese.
Use a dressing of your choice and serve the warm salad immediately.

Linking up to Deb at Kahakai Kitchen for her Souper Sunday and with Beth Fish's Weekend Cooking Series. HERE is the link to this week's Souper Sunday.
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