Good corn needs nothing but a good set of teeth if you're eating it off the cob or a sharp knife if you're plucking the kernels from the cob. In other words, good corn needs no butter or any other adornments because it's naturally sweet and needs very little cooking, if any. That's the kind of corn you'll find in farmers markets right now.
The same can be said for corn salad. The best corn salads are those that take a less-is-more approach, adding the fewest ingredients so that the flavor of the corn comes through. Any other ingredients play only a supporting role.
When cooking corn, the key is fast and quick. Boil it or microwave it for too long, and it gets tough. It needs no more than a plunge into boiling water for no longer than a minute or a minute in the microwave. Summer's fresh corn only needs a quick heating to unlock the starch and natural sugars to make it so much better - a sweet taste of summer with every crunchy bite.
This fresh corn salad is bursting with flavors fresh from the garden. In fact, if you have a full garden, just about everything you need to make this tasty salad can be plucked from your garden - tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, herbs and peppers, not to mention the most-important ingredient of all - summer corn.
The salad pairs well with any number of entrees - from grilled chicken to a roast. The fresh flavors balance out heavier main dishes.
Fresh-From-the-Garden Corn Salad
3 cups raw corn kernels (from about 4 cobs)
1 medium tomato, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1 cup quartered and thinly sliced cucumber
1/2 cup chopped fresh leafy herbs (such as basil, dill, mint, parsley and/or cilantro)
1/2 cup chopped radishes
1 medium jalapeño, very thinly sliced, optional
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar or white wine vinegar, to taste
2 medium cloves garlic, pressed or minced
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, or to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (see note)
In a large serving bowl, combine the corn, tomato, sweet onion, green onion, cucumber, herbs, radishes and jalapeño.
In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt and black pepper. Whisk until blended, then pour it over the salad. Toss to combine.
Add most of the feta, reserving some for garnish, and gently toss. Taste, and add more vinegar or salt, if needed. Garnish with the remaining feta. Serve promptly, or chill for later.
Note: To make this salad a vegan side dish, substitute avocado for the feta cheese.
WHERE'S THE BEEF?
Just in time for your final hurrah of summer, Labor Day weekend, the Meat District introduces a meat box that has everything in it for an incredible grilling feast. In it, you'll find one of the best roasts I think I've ever had - a tri-tip roast that I browned on the stovetop in a cast-iron skillet then finished in the oven to perfection. The peppery rub/marinade flavored the meat and drippings, which I made into a wonderful gravy.
But there's more to the box than the roast. For $99.95, you'll find it packed with more premium cuts of beef, plus pork and poultry.
Each pack of the Ultimate Grilling Pack includes:
* 1 pack of Zesty Ranch Chicken Party Wings
* 1 pack of Sweet & Sassy Drumsticks
* 1 pack of Shawarma Chicken Thighs
* 1 pack of Steak House Premium Tri-Tip
* 1 pack of a blend of short rib, angus chuck and brisket burger patties
* 1 pack of bacon-wrapped garlic-peppercorn pork tenderloin.
To order, go online to buy.eatmeatdistrict.com. I know I'll be going there again. It was so nice to have all the meat delivered to my front door, and with the high price of meat in stores right now, this saved time and was no more expensive than buying it at the grocery store.
Contact Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com or at annebraly.com.
Anne Braly