Colorful Fresh Summer Salad

Prep time: 45 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves 12
This vegetarian recipe comes from the website Food & Wine (www. foodandwine.com) and is credited to Elizabeth Falkner. It can easily be made vegan by using dairy-free cheese, such as Daiya brand. Non-vegetarians will also enjoy this colorful and delicious make-ahead summer dish.

INGREDIENTS
5 ears of corn, shucked
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided use
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 pounds arugula (4 bunches) large stems discarded, leaves torn into bite-size pieces
3 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 large red tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 large yellow tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice
3 ounces (3/4 cup) queso fresco or ricotta salata, crumbled

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Place corn on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle corn with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Season ears with salt and pepper. Cook about 25 minutes, turning a few times, until the kernels are browned. Cool. Cut kernels from cobs and transfer to a bowl. Turn the oven down to 400 degrees. Place the pumpkin seeds in a pie plate and bake for 4 minutes until lightly browned. Transfer to another plate to cool. Place 1/2 cup of the corn kernels in a blender. Add lime juice, vinegar, sugar, hot sauce and cinnamon, and purée. With the blender on, add the remaining olive oil in a thin stream and blend until emulsified. Scrape vinaigrette into a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, toss remaining corn kernels with arugula, avocados, red and yellow tomatoes and cucumbers. Add the vinaigrette and toss well. Mound salad on a large platter. Scatter pumpkin seeds and crumbled cheese on top and serve.

Per serving: 346 cal.; 7 g pro.; 22 g carb.; 27 g fat (5 sat., 15 monounsat., 4 polyunsat., 3 other); 2 mg chol.; 170 mg sod.; 8 g fiber; 3 g sugar; 68 percent calories from fat. © Copyright The Sacramento Bee. All rights reserved.