Tomato and Grilled Corn Salad With Avocado

A layered salad as lovely to look at as it is to eat! Clipped out of our local newspaper. Use the freshest ingredients-either produce from your own garden or from a reputable farmers' market. If I have them on hand, sometimes I will also add whole black beans or kidney beans (drained) to the salad for a protein boost.

• Ready In: 15 mins
• Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• 6 -7  medium tomatoes, cut into slices
• 12  yellow cherry tomatoes or 12  orange cherry tomatoes
• 2  ears  cooked corn (grilled or roasted if possible)
• 1  cup  cooked whole black beans or 1  cup  cooked whole kidney bean, drained
• 1  small red onion, diced very small
• 2  garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1  avocado, halved, pitted and sliced into thin wedges
• 1⁄2 cup  loosely packed fresh basil leaf (NOT dried)
•  salt
•  fresh ground black pepper
•  extra virgin olive oil
• 2  large lettuce leaves
•  lime wedge, for garnish

Directions

1. Arrange the tomato slices artfully on a large serving platter lined with large lettuce leaves. Scatter the cherry tomatoes on top.
2. Remove the corn kernels from the cob. To remove the kernels, stand the ears up on its wide end. Use a sharp serrated knife and saw down the sides of the ears. Scatter the corn, beans (if using), onion, garlic, *avocado and basil over the tomatoes. If the basil leaves are large, tear into smaller pieces.
3. Season the salad to taste with salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Finally, finish with a drizzle of olive oil.
4. *NOTE: After cutting the avocados into slices, drizzle with lemon juice to stop them from browning. Do not add the avocados to the salad until just before serving to avoid them turning brown.