Charred late summer vegetables with red mizuna, crispy pork belly, spicy pickled Fresno chilis, and smoky tomato vinaigrette.
The farmers market got me again. Freshly harvested mizuna that was so bright and full of life, it walked off the table into my basket. Corn that when I picked it up, I could smell the sweetness. Okra, the enormous okra, I couldn’t resist it the first time and didn’t try to resist it this time. With my latest market impulse buys, some twice cooked pork belly, and tomatoes from my garden, I whipped up this charred vegetable salad.
A few of the ingredients for this recipe can be substituted for something else. If you don’t have mizuna, try some spinach or arugula. I used red and green tomatoes, but if you have to pick one, go with the red. The pickled Fresno chilis add a little heat to this salad. They can be left out altogether or jalapenos used in their place. Bacon can be used instead of the pork belly, but I wouldn’t leave it out. The pork adds richness and accents the smokiness in the vinaigrette.
This vinaigrette is made with fresh pureed tomato. The end result will be affected by the sweetness or tartness of the tomatoes used. The recipe may need to be adjusted with more/less vinegar or honey to balance the natural flavors.
Charred Corn and Okra Salad
Ingredients
Smoky Tomato Vinaigrette
- 1 large tomato 1/2 cup juice
- 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- 2 tsp whole grain mustard
- 1 1/1 tsp honey
Pickled Fresno Chilis
- 1 fresno chili sliced
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp sugar
Salad
- 7 ounces pork belly or bacon
- 1 bunch mizuna
- 1 ear corn
- 1 green tomato
- 1 red tomato
- 1 bunch okra
- olive oil
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
Smoky Tomato Vinaigrette
- Blend the tomato until fully pureed and strain out the seeds and skin. If the tomato does not have enough liquid to easily puree, add the vinegar and blend.
- Put the tomato puree back into the blender and add the paprika, vinegar, salt, pepper, honey, and mustard. Blend on medium low and slowly add the oil. Adjust the seasoning if necessary.
Pickled Freson Chilis
- Heat the vinegar with the salt and sugar until dissolved. Pour the hot liquid over the sliced chilis. Peppers will be ready after 1 hour.
Salad
- Cut the corn off the cob. Slice the tomatoes. Cut the okra in half. Cut the pork belly into small dice.
- Heat a skillet over medium-medium high heat. Add some of the oil. When the oil starts to shimmer add the okra cut side down. Press the okra with a spatula. Cook until lightly charred, flip and repeat. Remove from the pan onto some paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
- Add a little more oil to skillet. When it shimmers add the corn and season with salt and pepper. Cook until lightly brown and remove from skillet.
- Heat more oil in the skillet until shimmering. Season the tomato slices and add to the pan. Be careful they will sputter. Cook until charred, flip and repeat. Remove from skillet.
- Place the pork belly in the skillet and cook until crispy. Drain on paper towels.
- Place some mizuna on a plate, top with veggies, pork belly, pickled peppers and drizzle with vinaigrette.
