Corn is one of those foods that evoke the season in a powerful, nostalgic way. Many of us have fond memories of summer dinners with family in which plates of fresh, local corn played a starring role.
As a huge fan of fresh corn, I tend to overbuy when I find it at the market and, as a result, am tasked with the happy chore of using it up in a tasty manner. This corn salad was another creation of my sister-in-law Esther, whose weeklong visit to the beach resulted in many delicious seasonal recipes being added to my repertoire.
We had this salad with local fish for dinner and then with lunch the following day alongside tuna sandwiches.
Esther’s Corn Salad
Serves 4-6 depending on portions
This salad is best made an hour or so ahead of serving to allow flavors to meld.
The salad:
4 cups corn kernels (from about 5 ears of corn)
1 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, cut in half
1 cup peeled and diced cucumber
⅓ cup chopped red onion
½ cup crumbled feta cheese
Generous ¼ cup chopped parsley
Scant ¼ cup chopped fresh basil
The dressing:
¼ cup olive oil
1½ tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
Mix all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
Boil a large pot of salted water and cook the corn cobs, covered, for 2 minutes. Remove the corn from the pot and let it cool (or put it in an ice bath if you are in a hurry).
While the corn cools, prep the rest of the ingredients, and place them in a large bowl. Cut the corn off the cob, add the kernels to the salad and toss with the dressing.
Let the salad sit for an hour at room temperature or longer in the refrigerator before serving.
