Grilled Corn and Black Bean Salad

Use this weekend's farmer's market haul to whip up this sweet, spicy, savory and good-for-you salad. This mayo-free recipe can sit out for awhile without risk of going bad, making it a great choice for your next pot luck or end of Summer barbecue. The left over basil vinaigrette also works well stirred into a pasta salad or as a bruschetta topping.

PREP TIME: 30 minutes
COOK TIME: 15 minutes

Ingredients
For the dressing:
2 cups packed Italian basil leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small shallot, chopped
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup plus three tablespoons light olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the salad:
4 ears corn
1 16-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, washed, dried and halved
1/2 red or sweet onion, cut into slivers
Basil leaves, for garnish

Directions
Prep and grill the corn: Carefully peel back the husks of each ear of corn but do not remove. Pull away the silk off of the corn and discard. Carefully put the husks back in place over the corn. Soak the corn in cold water for 10-15 minutes. Remove corn from water and shake to remove the excess liquid.

While the corn is soaking, preheat your grill to medium. Grill the corn for 15 minutes, turning a quarter turn every 3-4 minutes. The husks will char but pay attention during the grilling process that they do not catch fire. Remove the corn from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes. Once the corn is cool enough to handle, remove husks from corn and slice kernels off.

Add corn, beans, tomatoes and onion to a mixing bowl. Drizzle dressing over the salad and toss gently to combine. Place salad in a serving bowl and garnish with basil leaves. You can serve this salad immediately or chill for an hour first.