Blueberry Corn Panzanella with Maple Chipotle Dressing
Morita chiles are red, fully mature Chipotles. This gives them a unique, medium – hot smokey flavor which is popular in many Southwestern dishes. These can be added to sauces (including Mole) to add smokey flavor and maintain the red color of the sauces. These peppers are about 2-4 inches in length, 1 inch in width, and have a deep brick reddish brown color. The word Chipotle translated to smoked chile. Consider the Chipotle a 6.5 on a scale of 1-10 (10 being the hottest). Scoville heat units 7,000-25,000.
Suggested Use:
Use Morita in enchilada sauces, chili, stews, barbecue ribs, and corn bread. Their smoky quality combines well with poultry, meats and fall squash.
Yield: about 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
For the dressing:
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 ½ teaspoons pure maple syrup
1 ½ teaspoons minced chipotle peppers (rehydrated in hot water, then drained)
pinch of salt
For the salad:
4 cups cubed (1-inch pieces) multigrain bread
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion, sliced
1 ½ cups fresh corn kernels (about 2 to 3 ears of corn)
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup fresh blueberries
1 medium avocado, pitted and diced
2 cups lightly packed arugula or mixed greens
fresh basil, chopped or chiffonade, for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
To make the dressing:
In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, maple syrup, chipotle peppers and salt until well combined. Set aside.
To make the salad:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
Add the bread cubes to a large rimmed baking sheet, spread in an even layer and mist lightly with an olive oil spray (or nonstick). Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring once during baking, until golden brown and toasted. Let cool slightly.
Meanwhile, set a large skillet over medium heat. Add in the olive oil. When hot, add in the red onion and cook for about 2 minutes, until it starts to soften. Add in the corn, cumin, paprika and salt. Cook for about 5 minutes, until tender. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
Add the bread cubes, onion / corn mixture, the blueberries, avocado and arugula to a large bowl. Toss gently to combine.
Scoop some of the salad into a bowl. Drizzle with the desired amount of dressing, garnish with some fresh basil and serve immediately.
NOTES
I don’t usually end up using all the dressing. If you have extra, save it for salads or another use!
This isn’t a dish that I would suggest making in advance. It’s definitely best when eaten right away!
Adapted from cookiemonstercooking.com