Salad of the Sun

Ingredients

• 1.6 corn cobs, boiled in salted water until tender (~20 min); kernels scraped off cob when cool
• 2.red peppers, 8 tiny or 6 medium; roasted at 200ºC until black and blistered (~20 min); peeled, seeded and set aside
• 3.2 punnet brown mushrooms, medium; seasoned with Lawry's salt and pepper; cooked in dressing in frying pan 10–15 mins
• 4.garlic, 3–4 cloves; placed in dressing with mushrooms
• 5.45 millilitre fresh tarragon, 3 tablespoons; or 2 t dried tarragon; for salad and dressing
• 6.chives, bunch; for garnish
• 7.200 millilitre olive oil, scant cup (~200 ml); for dressing
• 8.200 millilitre sunflower oil, scant cup (~200 ml); for dressing
• 9.185 millilitre tarragon vinegar, ¾ cup; for dressing
• 10.5 millilitre Lawry's seasoned salt, for dressing
• 11.salt, ½–1 teaspoon; for dressing
• 12.Lawry's seasoned pepper, 8 shakes; for dressing
• 13.1.25 millilitre castor sugar, for dressing; was honey (crossed out)
• 14.5 millilitre Pommery wholegrain mustard, for dressing
• 15.mustard powder, pinch; for dressing
• 16.fresh tarragon, in dressing; or 2 T fresh mint + 2 t dried tarragon if fresh unavailable

Method

1. 1.Cook mealies in boiling salted water until tender (~20 minutes). When cool, scrape off corn kernels and set aside.
2. 2.Roast peppers in 200ºC oven until black and blistered (~20 minutes). Place in plastic bag and steam for 10 minutes. Peel off skin and set peppers aside with the corn.
3. 3.Make the dressing: process all ingredients except oil in food processor/Magimix. Slowly pour in the oil.
4. 4.Cook the mushrooms with garlic cloves in the dressing in a large frying pan for approximately 10–15 minutes (if mushrooms are cut in half they cook quicker). Drain mushrooms thoroughly.
5. 5.Toss mushrooms, corn and peppers together in the tarragon dressing and stand for a few hours, adding more dressing if needed.
6. 6.Garnish with chives and tarragon sprigs.

Notes

• Mealies = corn cobs (South African term).
• Pommery mustard = French whole-grain mustard.
• Card annotation: 'add more sugar & vinegar as too sour' — adjust balance of dressing to taste.
• Best made ahead and marinated for several hours.