Grilled Sweet Corn Salad

Salads, I love them all, hot or cold, mixed greens, pasta, potato, or fruit. Yeah, I'll eat anything except the nasty gelatin salads. You know the kind I'm talking about, the salad that melts. That should be your first clue, salads shouldn't melt. And most times they are green with pieces of fruit congealed inside the squiggly mass. Just thinking about it gets my stomach to churning, and before you can say "get me a bucket," I'm puking all over Great Aunt Sally's fruit cocktail salad that she just ladled onto my paper plate.

Has anyone else noticed that I blog a lot about puking. You'd swear that I was bulimic and fitting into size 6 jeans. Such is not the case, I just like to type the word puking. It's a fun word don't you think? The kind of word that you can really visualize what is happening.

What else needs to be said now, except make this grilled corn salad, it was excellent.

Ingredients:
6 ears fresh corn, husked, silks removed
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 red bell pepper, seeds and ribs removed, finely chopped (I used a green pepper)

3 scallions, white and light green parts, trimmed and finely chopped (I used shallots)
3 tablespoons chipped fresh cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Neely's Barbecue Seasoning (recipe follows)

Directions:
1. Heat the grill to medium-high, or turn on the broiler. Brush the cobs evenly with 2 tablespoon of the oil.

2. When the grill is hot, grill the corn for 7 minutes, using tongs to turn the cobs as necessary for even cooking, until the corn is nicely charred on all sides. Remove the ears from the grill. (Alternatively, you can broil the corn, turning as necessary for even browning.) When the corn is cool enough to handle, use a sharp knife to strip the kernels from the cob and transfer them to a large bowl. Add the bell pepper, scallions, and cilantro or parsley.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons oil with the lime juice, maple syrup, salt, pepper, and Neely's Barbecue Seasoning. Pour the dressing over the corn mixture, toss well to combine, and taste to adjust seasonings (adding more salt, pepper, or lime juice as desired). Serve at room temperature.

Note: For an extra-smoky flavor, grill the scallions until charred and soft, 3 to 4 minutes total, then finely chop.

Ingredients for Neely's Barbecue Seasoning:
1 & 1/2 cups paprika
3/4 cup sugar
3 & 3/4 tablespoons onion powder

Directions:
Stir together the ingredients in a small bowl. Stored in an air-tight container in a cool, dry place, this seasoning will last for up to 6 months. Makes about 2 & 1/2 cups.

Adapted from Down Home With The Neelys