Corn, Tomato and Cucumber Salad

A SPOONFUL OF SUMMER FRESH

Cook's Notes: The perfect late summer salad that pairs well with a BBQ meal or a potluck supper. It's a versatile salad that can be adapted by increasing the ingredients to serve more, adding in bell pepper rings, and using baby spinach leaves instead of basil. The recipe serves four. 

Ingredients:

• 4 large ears of corn, cooked or 2 cups of corn, thawed  
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 cups English cucumbers, diced
• 1/3 cup diced red onions
• 1/2 chopped pieces of fresh mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 cup julienned fresh basil leaves  
• Optional: 1 avocado, diced, and bell pepper rings

Directions: 

• Shuck the corn and add to boiling water. Cook for 4 minutes. Let the corn cobs cool, and remove the corn from the cobs. 
• In a salad bowl, add corn to the rest of the ingredients. Mix well and drizzle lightly with dressing. Chill for 20 minutes.  

White Balsamic Vinaigrette Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (or traditional balsamic vinegar)
• 2 tablespoons honey or agave nectar, to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper

Directions:

• Make the vinaigrette dressing in a blender. Taste test to balance ingredients. Pour dressing into a screw top jar and refrigerate for several hours for flavors to meld. Be sure to shake the jar well before serving. 
  

Cooking Tip: I enlisted the help of my "chief food taster."  He placed each ear of corn (one at a time) in the center of the opening of an angel food pan and cut downward with a sawing motion so the kernels fell into the pan. It's a really slick way to cut the corn off the cob.

I've purchased a new bag of Colorado Peaches.💓 Peach Pie is up next.