Grilled Peach and Sweet Corn Salad with Zesty Avocado Vinaigrette, Vegan, GF
Our summer is floating along from this dirigible third floor.
A grand and slow adventure of renovation and parting from our old life.
“Everybody was feeling happy now. The sun was shining brightly out of a soft blue sky and the day was calm. The giant peach, with the sunlight glinting on its side, was like a massive golden ball sailing upon a silver sea.”
-James and the Giant Peach
Some days the tumescent humidity renders us underwater divers moving wordlessly at half speed through our tasks.
At dawn I climb to the attic and poke my head out of the roof like an inner city meerkat, gulp the easterly morning winds and watch curdled clouds spinning to the west.
“The walls were wet and sticky, and peach juice was dripping from the ceiling. James opened his mouth and caught some of it on his tongue. It tasted delicious.”
James and the Giant Peach, Roald Dahl
“My dear young fellow,’ the Old-Green-Grasshopper said gently, ‘there are a whole lot of things in this world of ours you haven’t started wondering about yet.”
-James and the Giant Peach, Roald Dahl
Centipede: I’ve sailed all the five seas. From the land of Bora Bora to the icy shores of Tripoli. Commodore Centipede, they used to call me.
Grasshopper: Seven.
Centipede: Huh?
Grasshopper: There are seven seas, and Tripoli is in the Sub-Tropics, Commodore!
Centipede: Trim the sails!
Ladybug:There are no sails.
Centipede: Start the engines!
Earthworm: There are no engines.
Centipede: I can’t work with this miserable crew!
-James and the Giant Peach, Roald Dahl

Summer's bounty grilled to enhance their sweetness, tossed in a vibrant vinaigrette.
- 2 ears sweet corn peeled
- 6 stone fruit sliced in half and pitted. I used peaches, nectarines and apricots.
- 1 ripe avocado, sliced
- 2 cups left over rice. I used black rice from the night before. Quinoa, chickpeas, brown rice, barley, all of these would make good additions.
- 2 radishes, thinly sliced optional
- 1/2 cup sliced cucumber
- 1/2 cup red onion, sliced to desired thickness
- 1 ripe avocado
- 2 cloves mashed garlic
- black pepper to taste
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 juice of one lime
- 1 handful free chopped herbs, I used cilantro
- 1/2 cup peeled cucumber, chopped
- 1-3 tbsp water to thin to desired consistency
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Heat up your grille. I use a little hibachi that I bought because it reminds me of my childhood.
Over a hot grill place your corn and turn occasionally until charred and tender but still moist about 6-8 minutes total.
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Grille your stone fruit for about 3 minutes until slightly charred but still firm. While your corn and fruit are grilling make your vinaigrette.
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Puree all of the vinaigrette ingredients until smooth, add the water by the tbsp until you have the desired pourable consistency you seek.
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Once cool enough to handle: slice the corn niblets off of the ears and slice the peaches as well. Mound your rice or other grain in the center of your platter and arrange your vegetables and fruit around in a pleasing pattern. Drizzle on vinaigrette.
What a satisfying summer salad. And such a delicious book!
The peculiar story allows you to understand the most subtle nuances of such a combination. Each fruit gives a special flavor to the dish.
Peculiar is my middle name! And eclectic is my surname.