Corn Salad with Avocado, Watercress, and Celery Salt Popcorn

Name: Corn Salad with Avocado, Watercress, and Celery Salt Popcorn
Prep time: 20 s
Cook time: 5 s
Total time: 25 s
Yield: 1
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: FOR THE DRESSING; Sherry vinegar; Extra virgin olive oil; Honey; Whole-grain mustard; Celery seeds; Red chili flakes; Shallot; Kosher salt; Freshly ground black pepper; FOR THE POPCORN; Popcorn kernels; Extra virgin olive oil spray or olive oil; Celery salt; FOR THE SALAD; Red onion; Hass avocado; Mixed cherry tomatoes; Kernels from white corn; Watercress; Basil leaves

12 Mar 2025

Brooke Williamson

Chef

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Difficulty

Easy

Total Time

25MIN

Cuisine

American

Ingredients

FOR THE DRESSING

Sherry vinegar: 1/4 cup

Extra virgin olive oil: 3 tbsp

Honey: 2 tbsp

Whole-grain mustard: 2 tsp

Celery seeds: 1/2 tsp

Red chili flakes: 1/2 tsp

Shallot: 1 (minced about 2 tbsp)

Kosher salt: 1 tsp

Freshly ground black pepper

FOR THE POPCORN

Popcorn kernels: 2 tbsp (freshly popped about 2 cups)

Extra virgin olive oil spray or olive oil: drizzle

Celery salt: 1/4 tsp (or more to taste)

FOR THE SALAD

Red onion: 1/4 (very thinly sliced and soaked in ice water for 20 minutes, then drained)

Hass avocado: 1 (cubed)

Mixed cherry tomatoes: 1 pint (halved)

Kernels from white corn: 2 ears

Watercress: 2 big handfuls (trimmed)

Basil leaves: Small handful

(excerpt from Brooke Williamson's Sun Kissed Cooking)

Save this recipe for summer corn so good you don’t have to cook it. Peppery watercress, juicy cherry tomatoes, and a sharp sherry dressing offset the full-on sweetness of those raw kernels while rich, creamy avocado ties together those contrasting elements. Celery salt–seasoned popcorn for crunch feels much more appropriate than croutons here.

How to make Corn Salad with Avocado, Watercress, and Celery Salt Popcorn

01.

Make the Dressing

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a large bowl.

02.

Make the Salad

Add all the salad ingredients to the bowl with the dressing, gently toss to coat, and transfer to a serving platter.
Scatter the popcorn over the salad and serve.

12 Mar 2025

The Chef

Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Brooke Williamson has built a career filled with accolades, from winning Top Chef Season 14 to becoming the first-ever champion of Tournament of Champions. She currently serves as one of the three titans on Bobby’s Triple Threat on Food Network and released her debut cookbook, Sun-Kissed Cooking: Vegetables Front & Center, in 2024.

Williamson’s passion for cooking began early, and by age 17, she had already started her culinary career. She worked as a teacher’s assistant at the Epicurean Institute of Los Angeles before moving into the kitchen as a pastry assistant at Fenix at the Argyle Hotel, training under Michelin-starred chef Ken Frank. She then joined Michael’s of Santa Monica, where she quickly rose from line cook to sous chef, making her the restaurant’s youngest to hold the role. Seeking to expand her experience, Williamson staged at Daniel, the renowned New York City restaurant by Chef Daniel Boulud. By age 22, she was appointed executive chef of the celebrated Boxer in Los Angeles, marking the beginning of her leadership in the kitchen.

Following her role at Boxer, Williamson opened Zax in Brentwood as executive chef, where she developed her signature California-inspired cuisine, blending local ingredients with global influences. It was at Zax that she met Nick Roberts, her future husband and business partner. Together, they launched their first independent project, Amuse Café in Venice, followed by Beechwood, which earned them StarChefs’ “Rising Star Chefs” award in 2004.

In 2014, Williamson and Roberts opened Playa Provisions, a unique four-in-one concept in Playa del Rey. It houses King Beach (a grab-and-go marketplace), Small Batch (an artisanal ice cream shop), Dockside (a seafood restaurant), and Grain (an intimate whiskey bar). Their other Southern California ventures, including Hudson House, The Tripel, and Da Kikokiko, closed in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Williamson has been a fixture on national television, winning Top Chef Season 14 in Charleston after previously finishing as runner-up on Top Chef Season 10 in Seattle. She has also competed in Top Chef Duels, Knife Fight, Guy’s Grocery Games, and BBQ Brawl, and served as West Coast captain on Food Network’s Beachside Brawl in 2022.

Outside the kitchen, Williamson is a regular at food festivals, including Coachella, the Aspen Food & Wine Classic, and South Beach Wine & Food Festival. She is also an active supporter of No Kid Hungry and other philanthropic efforts. When not cooking, she enjoys running, playing tennis, and spending time with her son, Hudson.

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