Brunch salad by Jamie Oliver.David Loftus
Easter, however it falls in the calendar year, always signals the start of spring for me. It's a sign of more hopeful seasons to come, as a bounty of lovely produce starts to rise out of the ground and our window boxes finally start waking up. As the days brighten, I wanted to stretch that optimism to some outdoor cooking. I know what you're thinking – it's only March! – but this charred corn and avocado brunch salad is my jump-start on spring.
The success of this recipe is really about you and the grill. Char the corn and avocado until bar-marked – not black and blistered – for a gorgeous smokiness that makes this salad what it is. Tossed with fresh greens, crunchy bacon and a zesty yogurt dressing, it's joyful, vibrant and full of spring optimism.
I know this might seem like an odd brunch choice, but in my book, brunch is about breaking the rules and exciting the taste buds. It's that king of weekend meals that lets you have a lie-in and doesn't impose silly rules, and that's what this recipe is all about. Feel free to mix up the greens for other interesting leaves, swap the lemon and parsley for lime and coriander, or hit it up with some sliced fresh chili for a morning kick. Go wild this Easter weekend!
Servings: 4
Salad
2 cobs of corn
2 ripe avocados
4 slices of high-quality smoked bacon
2 baby gem lettuces
3/4 cup baby spinach
1 ounce (30 grams) tortilla chips
Yogurt dressing
3 sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley
½ a lemon
2 tablespoons fat-free natural yogurt
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and black pepper
Method
Heat up your barbecue or place a griddle pan over a high heat. Add the corn cobs and cook until they start to pop and crackle, then turn them until cooked and lightly charred all over.
Halve and de-stone the avocados, then cut each half in half again.
When the corn is almost there, add the avocado to the barbecue or griddle and cook – don’t move it – till charred.
Remove the cobs and avocado to a plate to cool, then grill the bacon till crisp.
When the corn has cooled a little, run a sharp knife down the sides to slice off the kernels, keeping them in chunks – like beehives – if you like.
Carefully remove the avocado skin.
For the dressing, pick, chop and add the parsley leaves to a clean jam jar. Squeeze in the lemon juice, add the yogurt and just enough oil to get the consistency you like. Put the lid on and shake to combine, then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cut the lettuce lengthways into thin wedges, then place on a platter with the spinach, corn and avocado.
Pour over half the dressing. Crunch up and scatter over the tortilla chips, crumble over the bacon, then drizzle on the rest of the dressing.