Grilled Corn Salad With Blistered Tomato Vinaigrette Is Summer at Its Best

After Labor Day, Devin Finigan of Aragosta in Deer Isle, Maine, hosts a small community cookout on the beach for the farmers, fishers, foragers, and artists who have helped make her restaurant a singular dining destination. Every one of Finigan’s plates features Maine ingredients, including this bright, fresh, and smoky grilled corn salad.

Grilling vegetables to a crisp-tender state with a little char is half of the equation for this summery dish. The other half is the smoky tomato vinaigrette, a tangy-sweet sauce that dresses the grilled corn, garlic scapes, cherry tomatoes, and crunchy cucumber and bell pepper. Crumbled feta adds some nice pops of salinity, and loads of fresh herbs on top keep the entire bowl feeling bright and fresh. If you can’t find garlic scapes (the long green bud shoots of the garlic plant), try substituting with scallions. While they won’t impart the same mild garlic taste as scapes, the green onions will add a mild onion flavor to the salad.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Any leftover vinaigrette would be great tossed with a simple green salad, drizzled on grilled vegetables, or used as a marinade for chicken. 

Make ahead

The tomato vinaigrette can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one day.