Corn Salad
This recipe came from Ruby Tuesdays; they had it on their salad bar a long time ago, and I asked how it was made.
This recipe came from Ruby Tuesdays; they had it on their salad bar a long time ago, and I asked how it was made.
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cumin
- 1/2 cup lemon juice
- dressing
- 1 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 6 cups tomatoes diced
- 1 gallon corn
- 1 1/2 cups green bell peppers diced
- 1 1/2 cups red bell peppers diced
- 2/3 cup jalapeno peppers deseeded, diced
- 3/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped fine
- 1 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- Carbohydrate 26.2507149312308 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 13.8646409114371 g
- Fiber 4.22960906695002 g
- Protein 4.4939576883468 g
- Saturated Fat 1.14231305549156 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (220g)
- Sodium 79.6870400647701 mg
- Sugar 22.0211058642808 g
- Trans Fat 0.322123944877035 g
- Calories 227 calories
Step-by-step
- Mix first 5 ingredients.
- Prepare dressing, add to vegetables and toss to coat. Serve chilled.
Unlike creamy mayonnaise-based variations, this style of corn salad relies on a sharp, acid-forward oil dressing that preserves the distinct crunch of raw kernels and fresh vegetables. As historical iterations of cold corn dishes migrated from restaurant salad bars into home kitchens, cooks realized that heavy dairy emulsifiers often masked the natural sweetness of sweetcorn, whereas a bright emulsion of lemon juice and vegetable oil lets the primary ingredients remain front and center. Understanding how to sequence the preparation ensures the texture stays crisp rather than soggy. When large batches sit in refrigeration, certain components behave in specific ways that dictate proper handling. Maintaining structural integrity across twenty servings requires attention to moisture control and oil saturation.
- Dice the tomatoes to a uniform three-eighths-inch cube and salt them in a colander for 15 minutes before mixing to draw out excess water that would otherwise dilute the dressing.
- Whisk the lemon juice, salt, ground cumin, and black pepper thoroughly into the vegetable oil until the mixture thickens slightly before pouring it over the vegetables.
- Deseed the jalapeno peppers completely under running cold water to remove the placental membranes if you prefer a milder heat profile without sacrificing the capsicum flavor.
- Store this dish in an airtight glass container in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours, allowing the cumin and cilantro to fully infuse the bell peppers.
- Avoid freezing this preparation, because the high water content in the fresh tomatoes and bell peppers will rupture cell walls during thawing, resulting in an unpalatable, watery texture.
Chilling the bowl for 30 minutes prior to final assembly helps keep the crisp vegetables at an optimal serving temperature. Proper knife sharpness during the dicing phase prevents bruising the delicate cell walls of the cilantro and peppers.
