Fresh Corn & Tomato Salad

Oh my, what a combination, the freshest summer corn and the ripest summer tomatoes. This simple Fresh Corn & Tomato Salad is simple in name but much more than the sum of its parts, a classic summer dish. Save this easy recipe for the very best garden-fresh tomatoes and corn.

Fresh & Seasonal, Perfect for High & Late Summer. Weeknight Easy, Weekend Special. Easily Vegan. Weight Watchers Friendly. Low Carb. Naturally Gluten Free. Great for Meal Prep.

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This recipe is so quick and easy
that I'm adding it to a special collection of easy summer recipes
published every summer since 2009.
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COMPLIMENTS!

• "We gave it an A+ the first night and an A [the second]." ~ Charlie

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Suddenly it is August again, so hot,
breathless heat.

I sit on the ground

in the garden of Carmel,

picking ripe cherry tomatoes

and eating them.

They are so ripe that the skin is split,

 so warm and sweet

from the attentions of the sun,

 the juice bursts in my mouth,

an ecstatic taste,

and I feel that I am in the mouth of summer,

 sloshing in the saliva of August.

Hummingbirds halo me there,

in the great green silence,

and my own bursting heart

splits me with life.

– excerpt from
"Cherry Tomatoes"
by poet Sr. Anne Higgins
via Writer's Almanac

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Side Dish --> Quick Supper!

So to my taste, Fresh Corn & Tomato Salad is a side dish – an extraordinary side dish, mind you, especially when both corn and tomatoes are their very freshest from high summer through late summer.

But then again? One night, I made a bed of torn lettuce greens, chopped cucumber and a drizzle of a garlic-yogurt dressing (specifically? The dressing in here – and topped it with Fresh Corn & Tomato Salad, bits of goat cheese and a few marcona almonds.

That meal? Food for kings. And, hmm, queens. For protein, you could also easily add a little grilled chicken or sautéed shrimp. Or no, wait, how about a runny egg?!

What Vegetable Puts You in the "Mouth of Summer"?

You know, the one you long for all winter long, the one that can't arrive soon enough, the one that inspires you to think, "summer in a bowl"?

Let me know in the comments!

A Milestone

On a personal note, this is my 300th column! It's a milestone I'd not have given good odds considering an almost-casual decision to begin writing Kitchen Parade shortly after the death of my mother, its first author. Proud as I am to reach this mark, perspective is important: the best estimate is that my mother wrote 600 columns. Seems I'd best get back in the kitchen! UPDATE: In 2017, I crossed the 500 mark!

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FRESH CORN & CHERRY TOMATO SALAD

Hands-on time: 25 minutes
Time to table: 25 minutes – 2 hours
Makes about 4 cups

TOMATOES
• 1 teaspoon good olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon good vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups (8 ounces/225g) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved if small, quartered if large

CORN
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 a bunch of green onions (about 4 or 5), trimmed and chopped, white and green parts both
• 4 ears corn, kernels cut off and the cobs "milked" of their liquid (how to)

TOMATOES In a large bowl, combine the tomato ingredients and let marinate for 15 – 20 minutes while continuing.

CORN In a large skillet, melt the butter, salt and pepper on medium heat until beginning to sizzle. Stir in the green onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until just soft. Stir in the corn and the "corn milk" and cook another five minutes, until the corn is just barely cooked.

COMBINE Stir the tomatoes into the corn mixture. Serve warm if you like, otherwise, let rest for a bit and serve at room temperature. Savor!

ALANNA's TIPS This salad – or wait, is it a side dish? – has moved me to the "mouth of summer" twice now, once warm and then the second time at room temperature. As with many simple dishes, the specifics can be important. I think the proportion of tomatoes:corn is perfect. So is the amount of salt and pepper, be generous with both. Do take the time to cut up the cherry tomatoes, they need to soak up the vinaigrette to develop a small measure of sharpness to contrast with the creamy corn.

NUTRITION INFORMATION Per Cup: 63 Calories; 2g Tot Fat; 1g Sat Fat; 3mg Cholesterol; 89mg Sodium; 10g Carb; 2g Fiber; 2g Sugar; 2g Protein. WEIGHT WATCHERS POINTS Old Points 1 & PointsPlus 2 & SmartPoints 2 & Freestyle 1 This recipe has been "Alanna-sized" with reductions in fat.

Adapted from the much-missed Gourmet Magazine, published on Epicurious

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More Recipes: Summer Corn & Summer Tomatoes

(hover with a mouse for a description; otherwise click a photo to view the recipe)

~ Swiss Chard Skillet Supper with Tomatoes, Corn, Fresh Dill & Feta ~
~ Warm Tomato, Corn & Okra Salad ~
~ Succotash Salad with Green Beans, Lima Beans, Corn & Tomatoes ~
from A Veggie Venture, my food blog

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More Recipes for Summer's Best Sweet Corn

(hover with a mouse for a description; otherwise click a photo to view the recipe)

~ more corn recipes ~

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More Recipes for Summer's Best Tomatoes

(hover with a mouse for a description; otherwise click a photo to view the recipe)

~ more tomato recipes ~

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Shop Your Pantry First

(helping home cooks save money on groceries)

~ corn recipes ~
~ tomato recipes ~

~ All Recipes, By Ingredient ~
~ How to Save Money on Groceries ~

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Kitchen Parade is written by second-generation food columnist Alanna Kellogg and features fresh, seasonal dishes for every-day healthful eating and occasional indulgences. Quick Suppers are Kitchen Parade favorites and feature recipes easy on the budget, the clock, the waistline and the dishwasher. Do you have a favorite recipe that other Kitchen Parade readers might like? Just send me a quick e-mail via recipes@kitchen-parade.com. How to print a Kitchen Parade recipe. Never miss a recipe! If you like this recipe, sign up for a free e-mail subscription. If you like Kitchen Parade, you're sure to like my food blog about vegetable recipes, too, A Veggie Venture. If you make this recipe, I'd love to know your results! Just leave a comment below.

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