This is the kind of salad that asks very little of you but gives a lot back. We use a mix of fresh and roasted tomatoes, blistered sweetcorn, fresh basil, red onion and feta to build layers of flavour, colour and texture.

It's finished simply with good balsamic vinegar and olive oil, because when your ingredients are this fresh, they don't need much else.

THINKING ABOUT TEXTURE WHEN BUILDING A SALAD

Using tomatoes in different ways gives this salad much more dimension than simply chopping everything into a bowl. Fresh tomatoes bring juiciness, blistered tomatoes add sweetness, and charred corn brings a little smokiness and bite.

The other trick? Don't underestimate the dressing. With so few ingredients, the quality of your olive oil and balsamic vinegar really matters. Use the best you can get your hands on and season generously.

INGREDIENTS

There are no strict measurements for this one. Build the salad according to how many people you're feeding and what you have available.

  • A variety of ripe tomatoes, try find different colours, sizes and textures of tomatoes

  • Sweetcorn on the cob

  • Fresh basil leaves

  • Red onion, thinly sliced

  • Feta, crumbled

  • Good-quality balsamic vinegar

  • Good-quality olive oil

  • Salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:

  • Slice the larger tomatoes into irregular, bite-sized pieces. Halve or leave the smaller cherry tomatoes whole, depending on their size.

  • Place some of the cherry tomatoes on a baking tray, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

  • Roast until blistered and beginning to soften, allowing them to caramelise slightly.

  • Cook the corn on the cob until tender. Place it directly onto a hot stovetop or grill and turn regularly until the kernels are blistered and charred in places.

  • Allow the corn to cool slightly, then slice the kernels from the cob. Rather than separating every kernel, cut through the cob in sections so some of the kernels stay together. This gives the salad another layer of texture.

  • Arrange the fresh tomatoes, blistered tomatoes and corn onto a large platter. Scatter over the sliced red onion, fresh basil and crumbled feta.

  • Season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then drizzle generously with balsamic vinegar and good olive oil.

  • Serve immediately or allow it to sit for a few minutes so the flavours can mingle.

AT THE TABLE

This is a big-platter salad, made for putting in the middle of the table and letting everyone help themselves. Serve alongside grilled chicken, steak, lamb or anything coming off the braai.

And don't be shy with the dressing , you'll want some of those tomato juices, balsamic and olive oil pooling at the bottom of the platter for everyone to mop up with fresh bread.

Love,

V



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