This grilled radicchio salad with corn, Mount Tam Triple Cream, and roasted tomato vinaigrette was our favorite side dish by chefs Greg Denton and Gabrielle Quiñónez Denton of Ox Restaurant and Superbite (Portland). We were fortunate enough to sample their amazing food during The Resort at Paws Up Cookbook Live Chuck Wagon Dinner.
According to Greg and Gabrielle, when you’re planning a meal based on the grill, it’s important to think about timing and what temperature the different components of the meal need to be served at. They chose this salad because the radicchio and corn could be grilled before the meat and the salad tastes great at room temperature. Watching the chefs top the grilled radicchio salad with big slices of Cowgirl Creamery Mount Tam Triple Cream cheese, we were ready to dig in! Pick up their cookbook, Around the Fire, for more amazing recipes for year-round grilling. Invaluable grilling tips included!
- 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
- ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, or more to taste
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Spread the tomatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil; sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt and roast until lightly dehydrated,12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the vinegar, the remaining 10 tablespoons of oil, the remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and the pepper; add the roasted tomatoes and toss gently to combine. Let sit 10 minutes, then taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
- Roasted Tomato Vinaigrette (see above)
- 2 heads radicchio, quartered lengthwise through the stems
- 4 ears of corn, husks and silk removed
- ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 cups arugula, loosely packed
- 8 ounces bloomy-rind triple-cream cheese (such as Mt. Tam, Brillat-Savarin, or Delice de Bourgogne), sliced into thin wedges
- 1 medium-large shallot, thinly sliced
- Prepare a grill to medium-high.
- Place the radicchio quarters and corn cobs on a baking sheet and drizzle with oil, tossing to coat all sides; season with salt and pepper. Transfer the corn to the grill and cook, turning occasionally, until the kernels are tender and lightly browned, with just a touch of darker char, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly. Slice the kernels off, keeping the strips intact, and set aside.
- Place the radicchio on the grill with one of the cut sides down. Cook until leaves start to wilt and lightly char, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn each piece onto its other flat side and repeat. Remove and let cool slightly. Slice away the stems so the leaves no longer hold together.
- On a large serving platter or individual plates, arrange the radicchio and arugula leaves, then top with the corn kernels. Spoon the vinaigrette over the top, making sure to evenly distribute the tomatoes. Garnish with the cheese wedges and the slices of shallot.