Roasted Corn & Edamame Succotash

Here in Connecticut, the temperature is dropping into the 60s over the next few days. Fall is in the air, and September life as I know it is in full swing. Lazy days have been replaced with a busy Fall schedule of school, homework, and afternoon sports.
This salad is dedicated to the last glimpse of Summer. It's a salad I've eaten many, many times...but, have never made until now. A very similar version is sold at the deli, in a local market I frequent quite often. When it's available, I always buy a quart, and when I do have it in the fridge, it never lasts long. All I need is that plastic tub and a fork and I'm happy.
I find this salad to be very addictive. I'm a huge fan of edamame {roasted corn is pretty tasty too} and there's something about this crunchy veggie mixture with a creamy, yet light, mayonnaise dressing that I can't get enough of. Because I love it so much, I had to share it with you here.
A quick Internet search turned up this recipe, which from what I can gather is a fairly exact copy of the one I've been enjoying for months. I changed a few things here and there based on what I had available at the time...and, that's the beauty of recipes like this one...it's very adaptable. You can easily turn this into an Autumn succotash by using frozen corn kernels. It will still be fantastic. Plus, using frozen corn will cut way back on the time needed to make it...a good thing on busy weeknights.
One of the creative liberties I took was making a pretty large batch of it. I considered halving it for this post, but decided to leave it as is, as I'm confident you'll be happy to have it hanging around the fridge for a few days. Have your kids try some too...it was given a big thumbs up from my Bozos. They even requested it be included in their school lunch the following day.

To make - begin by soaking the corn in water for about 10 minutes. I left most of the husks on, but removed the outermost, dark green husks. I did this so the corn would have closer contact with the grill.

Preheat the grill on high. Roast the corn for 15 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Let the corn cool, then cut the kernels off the cobs into a large mixing bowl. Note: If you're like me, and inevitably end up with corn all over your kitchen while performing this task...try this handy technique!

To the corn - add 2 cups of shelled edamame, 1/3 cup finely chopped red onion, and 3/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper.

For the dressing - add to a small mixing bowl...3 tablespoons mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and some freshly ground black pepper {to taste}.
Have you ever tried Dorot frozen ginger? I'm typically not a huge fan of using frozen herbs, as I think they rarely taste as good as using fresh. So, I haven't tried many of their other products. But, the ginger one...I use all the time! It tastes great and is a huge time saver. I also love that it's portioned in 1 teaspoon measurements, so you can thaw just want you need.
Whisk to combine, and pour over the corn mixture. Whenever I am making salads like this one, I always mix up the dressing separately from the salad. It would be easier to just throw it all in one bowl, and toss it up...which, you could totally do. But, I like to add the dressing in parts. There's nothing worse than mixing up a whole dish, only to realize that it's too salty, or too acidic, etc. Mixing the dressing to your preference, and then only adding in what you think the salad needs is a method that works well for me.

Toss to combine and serve.

Roasted Corn & Edamame Succotash

Adapted from Shawn Edelman, via Self Magazine
Makes 8-10 servings
During the summer months, I recommend using fresh corn, and taking the extra effort to roast it, as it adds such a great flavor to the dish. However, it does take time to do so! To make this a quick, weeknight side, the corn can be prepared using any method you would typically use to cook corn on the cob, whether boiled, or steamed. When fresh corn is unavailable, frozen corn kernels can be substituted by simply thawing them out, or lightly steaming them. The original recipe calls for using fresh lemon juice, but I had limes on hand, and I love the combination of cilantro with lime...so, I used it instead. You can use either. My version makes a generous batch, but I love having it on hand for lunches, or snacking on throughout the week. You can easily halve it, if desired. This recipe is very versatile! Play with the ingredients, or proportions to suit you, or your family's tastes.

6 ears fresh corn, or 3 1/2 cups kernels
2 cups frozen shelled edamame, thawed
1/3 cup finely chopped red onion
3/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Remove only the outermost, dark green husks from the corn, leaving most of the husk in tact. Soak the corn in a pot of water for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat grill on high heat. Grill the corn, in husks, for 15 minutes, turning once. Remove from grill, and let cool.
Once cool enough to handle, shuck the corn. Cut the kernels from the cob into a mixing bowl. Add the edamame, red onion, and bell pepper.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, lime juice, ginger, cilantro, salt, and black pepper. Add the dressing to the corn mixture, toss to combine, and serve.
Note: This salad can be made several days ahead of time. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Click here for the printable recipe.