For me, nothing screams “summer” as much as corn & tomatoes. A summer salad made from these two beauties takes me back to my childhood, visiting my great Aunt Florence in Martinsville, VA. A bit of an eccentric and a fabulous cook, she ran the Broad Street Hotel which, in its prime, was a “foodies” destination before foodies was even a word. People would come from three states over just to eat their fried chicken, biscuits and gravy.
One of the things that made the food so delicious was that it was grown out back. Behind the parking lot, there were stalks of corn, vines of stunning colored tomatoes and chickens. As a kid, I loved the way these heirloom tomatoes looked. Each was like a little work of art. But I hated the taste (silly me, right?). Corn, on the other hand… always divine. Florence would make this dish where she cut it off the cob, and then cooked it in a cast iron skillet with pork fat until it formed a crust. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. My Mom and I have both tried to re-create the dish to no avail. But here are some thoughts on a healthier way to get your corn & tomatoes fix.
Summer Salad is Easy
Besides tasting delish, one of the many things that I love about a summer salad is that it is so easy to make. The key, of course, is to buy the freshest ingredients possible. I will admit that I often get impatient waiting for corn & tomatoes to hit my farmer’s market. They’ve been late this year so I have had to resort to store-bought. Personally, I think that corn of any variety tastes yummy. Is it better bought at the farmer’s market during the height of summer where the kernels are so sweet that you can eat them raw? Hell, yeah. But corn on the cob is good regardless. Tomatoes are another story. If I am buying them at the store, out-of-season, I stick to the small cherry tomatoes. They aren’t going to be as flavorful and sweet as farmer’s market tomatoes, but they get the job done when I’m hankering for a taste of summer.
Summer Salad is Versatile
The other hugely awesome thing about a summer salad is that there are as many different versions as your imagination can conjure. Below, I am giving you my go-to version with sorrel, because I am obsessed and because it’s lemony taste is a delightful counterpoint to the acidity of the tomatoes and the sweet of the corn. However, I realize that if you don’t live on the west coast, fresh sorrel may be hard to come by so feel free to substitute:
- spinach
- arugula
- baby kale
- thinly sliced radicchio
- mixed baby lettuces
Or, just stick to the basics: corn & tomatoes. Honestly, with a little sea salt and some good olive oil, there’s nothing better. It’s literally the taste of sunshine.
It's Summer Salad
Ingredients
- 1 bunch fresh sorrel
- 1 pint baby tomatoes or 1-2 large heirloom tomatoes
- 2 cobs fresh corn
- 1 T extra virgin olive oil
- Maldon Sea Salt
- 1-2 T fresh herbs basil, chives, chervil
Instructions
- Place corn, in the husk, in the microwave and cook on high for 2 minutes per ear. Let cool and then cut the kernels from the cob.*
- Remove the sorrel from the stem and rip into bite sized pieces. Place in a bowl.
- Cut the tomatoes in half or quarters (depending on their size) if using baby tomatoes or slice the tomatoes if using the large heirloom variety. Place in the bowl and sprinkle with sea salt. I like Maldon, but any good quality sea salt will do. Let the tomatoes "sweat" for a minute or two. **
- Add the corn, olive oil and fresh herbs if using. Toss and taste. Add more salt or herbs or olive oil if needed. Serve. ***