Charred Corn and Stone Fruit Salad With Feta

By this point of the summer, there’s almost always corn in my fridge and a variety of stone fruit ripening a little too quickly on the counter. And that’s exactly how this salad was born. I tossed a few of those ears of corn on the grill, sliced up some nectarines, then piled it all into a bowl with handfuls of basil and mint from the garden. Ripped some feta on top and finished with lime, olive oil, Aleppo pepper, and flaky salt. Ahh, summer “cooking” at its finest.

If I could give summer meals a “formula,” I’d say: start with what’s at its peak, do just enough to bring it to life, and let the ingredients take it from there. The warm charred corn brings a smoky sweetness to this salad, and paired with juicy-tart nectarines, every bite comes together as the perfect combination of the season.

Why Grilled Corn is the Best Corn

There are plenty of ways to eat corn (highly recommend this chickpea, corn, & avocado salad), but I’d venture to say that charring it on the grill is the best. And considering we just installed our new grill (Zwilling’s Flammkraft Model D) in the outdoor kitchen at Casa Zuma, we’re grilling every chance we get. This German-made grill is by far the best we’ve ever owned—not only is it beautifully design-forward, it has infrared burners that create individual cooking and heating zones and have really upped our grilling game.

This salad is giving California-meets-Italy: lots of fresh herbs, good olive oil, juicy fruit, and just enough heat to keep the sweetness in check.

And then there’s the stone fruit. Nectarines are my first choice because their slight acidity plays so well with the sweet corn, but ripe peaches or plums are equally delicious. You can also use a mix, for the most abundant and colorful platter.

Choose fruit that’s ripe but still firm enough to hold its shape. Save the truly collapsing peaches for cobbler—or eat them over the sink, as summer intended.

The Secret Is in the Finish

If the corn and nectarines are the foundation, the final handful of ingredients is what makes this salad come alive.

Lime adds a welcome punch, and aleppo pepper brings a gentle spice rather than overwhelming heat. Torn basil and mint make the entire platter taste greener and fresher, while flaky salt catches in little pockets against the feta and warm corn.

And this is not the time to be shy with the olive oil. With so few ingredients, this is the moment to reach for the bottle you save for finishing. It pulls all those contrasting flavors together without turning the salad into something heavily dressed.

I like to pile it all onto a shallow platter so you can see the blush of the nectarines, the char on the corn, and those big craggy pieces of feta—and nothing gets bruised or lost at the bottom of a bowl.

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