Javier’s Chopped Salad Recipe
Fresh greens, avocado, cucumbers, red onions, roasted corn, cheese, baby heirloom tomatoes, champagne vinaigrette
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Ingredients
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Salad
Champagne Vinaigrette
Roasted Corn (if using fresh)
Method
Roasted Corn (if using fresh)
Roast corn
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Brush each ear of corn with 1 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and roast 18–22 minutes, turning once, until lightly charred in spots. Let cool, then cut kernels off the cob with a sharp knife. Measure 1 cup for the salad and reserve any extra for another use.
Champagne Vinaigrette
Make vinaigrette
In a small bowl or jar, combine 3 tablespoons champagne vinegar, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon honey, and 1 tablespoon minced shallot. Whisk or shake to combine. Slowly stream in 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil while whisking (or add oil to jar and shake vigorously) until emulsified. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Taste and adjust acidity or sweetness as desired.
Salad Assembly
Prep vegetables
Wash and thoroughly dry 6 cups mixed salad greens. Halve or quarter 1 cup baby heirloom tomatoes depending on size. Peel, pit, and dice 1 avocado into 1/2-inch pieces and toss immediately with 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice to prevent browning. Peel (if desired) and slice 1 English cucumber into 1/4-inch rounds and then quarter the rounds for bite-sized pieces. Thinly slice 1/4 red onion into half-moons and separate into rings. Chop 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves roughly.
Chop and combine
On a large cutting board, roughly chop the salad greens into bite-sized ribbons (optional) and transfer to a large bowl. Add the halved tomatoes, diced avocado, chopped cucumber, sliced red onion, roasted corn kernels (1 cup), and chopped cilantro. Sprinkle 1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco (or feta) over the top.
Dress and toss
Pour about 3–4 tablespoons of the champagne vinaigrette over the salad (reserve extra to serve on the side). Use tongs to gently but thoroughly toss the salad so the dressing coats ingredients without mashing the avocado. Taste and add additional vinaigrette, salt (up to 1 tsp kosher total) or pepper as needed.
Serve
Divide the salad among 4 plates or bowls, finishing with a light grind of black pepper. Serve immediately with extra vinaigrette on the side.