Chasing Cézanne Carrot & Corn Salad

Directions

1. You can ribbon the carrots on a mandoline, but think rustic and simple works best sometimes, so I just use a peeler. Hold each peeled carrot at the halfway point lengthwise. Begin shaving off half-carrot-length ribbons, holding the carrot in place until you get down to the core. You just want the sweet part of the carrot here. Turn it, shave it down to the core again in beautiful, wide ribbons. Repeat until you've gone all the way around. Flip it so you're holding the shaved core, and do the same with the other end. Feed the cores to your chickens, or send them to thirschfeld for his.
2. Add the corn. Add the red onion. You can also use an equal amount of scallions instead.
3. To make the avocado vinaigrette, you can use a food processor or a mini chop to purée the ingredients, or you can just mash the avocado with a fork on a cutting board and whisk everything together. I like the fork-board-whisk method. Season it to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Add the dressing to the salad. Add the parsley. Toss to blend with a pair of tongs. If it seems a bit sticky, add a bit more some olive oil. Taste, and adjust the salt and pepper of necessary. This is one of the few things to which I don't add a healthy pinch of red pepper flakes. The original didn't contain them, and every time I taste this, it takes me back to a lovely French afternoon with the daughter.
5. Divide between plates with some tongs, then with a spatula scrape out every last drop of the dressing. Raise a toast to Cézanne. And some very lucky children.