Gluten Free Grilled Corn, Prawn & Chorizo Salad with Cider Vinaigrette

Looking at that plate of food and peeking outside my living room window at my laundry hanging on the line in the rare Manchester sun, you'd think Spring was around the corner! It seems as if this winter has dragged and dragged and dragged, hasn't it? Around the globe, the Northern Hemisphere in general has been much colder, I've heard. I don't know about where you are, but temperatures are expected to reach 51 this weekend in Manchester! Ah, silver linings.

In an attempt to shake the wintry funk, I put together this paella-inspired salad adapted from an Elizabeth Karmel recipe. I think it turned out quite well, the boiled rice was a much-needed neutral accompaniment as there are so many flavors competing in this dish. I particularly enjoyed the smoky paprika infused vinaigrette, although it does take a bit of time to prepare.

This isn't one of those quick dinners, I'll tell you up front. But it is definitely worth the time and effort it calls for. I was planning on saving this one for Cinco de Mayo, but while still eating, my husband asked, "When are we having this again?" Guess this one needs to be shared quickly and prepared again!

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Ingredients:
For the vinaigrette:
1/3 cup cider vinegar
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp smoked paprika
3 large garlic cloves, minced
salt
black pepper

For the salad:
1/2 cup plum tomatoes, halved
1 cup spring onions 
2 large ears of corn
2 cups raw, deveined prawns
225g chorizo sausage
extra virgin olive oil

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All right, let's cook:

For the vinaigrette, combine the olive oil and minced garlic in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Cook about 5 minutes until the garlic begins to brown, but do not let it burn. Add  a pinch of salt and stir to dissolve it.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool for about 5 minutes before adding the paprika to the oil and leaving to infuse 10 minutes. Strain the olive oil into another container and set aside.

Put the vinegar in a separate bowl, season with salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Slowly add the paprika oil, whisking to combine. Cover and set aside.

For the salad, brush the corn with extra virgin olive oil, salt and arrange on a grill pan along with the prawns and chorizo. Place all in the grill/broiler and cook for five minutes. Remove the prawns and chorizo and place in a bowl. Turn the corn and return to the grill for a further five minutes.

Once cooked, use a nice to remove the kernels from the cobs. Put the kernels in a bowl and add half of the prepared vinaigrette. Toss. Stir in the spring onions, prawns and chorizo. Season if necessary. Serve with boiled basmati rice.