July 2006 - TravelOregon.com Recipe of the Month

This roasted corn and basil salad is from Cory Schreiber, chef/owner of Portland’s Wildwood restaurant. Schreiber is considered by many to be a leader in the region’s culinary scene, using fresh, local ingredients in his seasonal menu of Pacific Northwest fare. Also, this recipe can be found in his cookbook, Wildwood.

Wildwood’s Roasted Corn & Basil Salad
(Serves 8 as an appetizer or side dish)


8 ears corn, husks and silk removed
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, and cut into thin strips
1 red onion, thinly sliced
¼ cup fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
Grated zest and juice of 2 oranges
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and cracked
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, toasted and cracked
1 teaspoon salt
½ (one-half) teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat broiler. Place corn on broiler pan and brush with 1 tablespoon oil. Broil 4 inches from the heat source, turning corn as it browns to roast on all sides. Let cool. Using a sharp knife cut kernels from cobs and put in large bowl. Add roasted bell pepper, red onion, and basil; set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together orange zest and juice, lemon juice, vinegar, cumin and fennel seeds, salt, and pepper. Pour over the salad ingredients, tossing to coat. Let stand for 30 minutes before serving.

To toast and crack fennel and cumin:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Put the desired amount of seeds in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan. Toast in the oven for 10 minutes, or until they begin to darken in color, occasionally shaking the pan so the seeds will toast evenly. Remove the seeds from the oven and pour them onto a cool pan.

To crack the seeds, use a large knife. With the wide side of the blade, press down on the seeds.