One of the things I look forward to most during the summertime is the endless supply of sweet corn that comes pouring in from local farms. You can usually purchase five ears for a dollar and it tastes so much more fresh, crisp, and sweet than any type of frozen corn. Since it is so readily available, we eat corn in some capacity with almost every single meal during the summers. Spoon bread, cornbread, corn on the cob, corn salsa, corn quesadillas, and corn chowder are just a few of a ways we have utilized this delicious crop so far this year.
But my absolute favorite way to have fresh sweet corn is in a raw corn salad. Have you ever tried corn raw? It is so delicious sweet and refreshing and the perfect platform on which to build a delicious summer salad. There are several recipes for corn salads floating around the web, but this is my personal favorite adaptation of several different recipes I have seen. It may sound weird, but blueberries and corn go really well together! REALLY well. Throw in some cucumber, red onion, feta, jalapeno and cilantro and toss with a creamy honey-lime dressing, and you get one satisfyingly complex salad.
If the idea of eating raw corn freaks you out a bit, you can simply place the corn cobs in a pot of boiled water for about 3 minutes. Just pat it dry and let it cool completely before cutting it off the stalk and continuing with the recipe.
I'm eating the leftovers for lunch today while sitting outside reading Jane Eyre and watching Matthew tease the little pekingese we are dog-sitting for the week (he likes to take her favorite toy, hold it just out of her reach and giggle as she repeatedly jumps up and down in a fruitless attempt to rip it from his grasp). Sounds like a great way to spend the afternoon!
Blueberry-Corn Salad with Feta
heavily adapted from Better Homes and Gardens
3-4 ears fresh sweet corn, husked and cut from the cob
1 large cucumber, peeled and gelatinous seeds removed
1/2 medium red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1-2 cups blueberries
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
2 tablespoons mayo
2 tablespoons plain yogurt (I like greek yogurt because it's less watery)
1 heaping tablespoon honey
1-2 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Cut the cucumber into 1/2 inch wide strips and then cube crosswise. Toss together in a large bowl with the corn, onion, cilantro, jalapeno, and blueberries.
Whisk together all ingredients for the dressing. Pour over the corn mixture and toss gently to coat. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (but no more than 1 hour) to allow the flavors to jam together. Sprinkle with feta shortly before serving.
To make ahead, you can refrigerate the veggies/blueberries and the dressing in separate containers and then just mix them together shortly before you're ready to serve.