Charred Corn, Peach Salad with Quinoa and Nuoc Cham

The perfect "salad" to close out summer, and enjoy the fresh flavors of the seasons' finest veggies. 

Not every salad has to be packed with leafy greens, and this one proves it.  I found this recipe over the weekend on TheFeedFeed, and knew it would be the perfect side for our planned grilled steak dinner.  The flavors spoke to me - especially the sweet, spicy, salty, tangy ingredients in "Nuoc Cham,"  a sauce commonly seen in Thai Cuisine (think spring rolls!).  

I was also excited to put all the fresh corn and peaches we had just bought at one of our favorite local farms on the North Fork to good use! 

Here's the recipe for this light and refreshing salad, and the zesty Nuoc Cham dressing that makes it a true hero for any dinner. I plan on making a batch just to have on hand whenever I'm craving a refreshing dressing or addition to a meal.  What's best, is whatever you have leftover tastes even better the next day. 

Salad Ingredients (serves 6-8) 
3 ears corn, shucked
3/4 cup multicolored quinoa, cooked according to package directions
1/2 cup Thai basil, torn
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
4 peaches, pitted and sliced
1 avocado, pitted and sliced
Olive oil, as needed
1 batch Nuoc Cham, recipe below 

Salad Directions
Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat until slightly smoky. Drizzle corn with olive oil and add to the grill pan. Cook for 5 minutes on each side, or until charred. Set aside to cool. Once cool enough to handle, cut corn off the cob and add to a large bowl.  You can also boil the corn for a few minutes, then grill the corn directly on an outdoor grill, or hold over a flame on stovetop.  

Add cooled, cooked quinoa, Thai basil, cilantro, peaches, avocado and Nuoc Cham dressing to the bowl of corn. Mix well.  

Transfer to a platter and serve immediately.

Nuoc Cham Ingredients  
2-3 limes, juiced (1/3 cup)
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon unseasoned Japanese rice vinegar
3 Thai chilis, or serrano chilis, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced

Nuoc Cham Directions  
In a medium bowl, add lime juice, fish sauce, light brown sugar and Japanese rice vinegar and whisk to dissolve sugar. Add chopped chilis and garlic, mix and set aside.

Enjoy! 
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