The Sweet Golden Fruit of Summer

For me, summer means warm weather, camping, outdoor fun, and fresh food…home-grown garden dinners! I think that’s what keeps me gardening. Growing up I can remember having days filled with playing outside, swimming at the river, and a simple dinner with sliced tomatoes, cucumbers, corn on the cob (if we had some), and some sort of protein. Simple. Wonderful.  Not being able to have access to those flavors and memories would mean I missed summer, at least what I consider to be summer.  Perhaps I’m just extremely nostalgic; but as I child, I looked forward to this time of year. I haven’t grown out of it I guess!

Now that I am older, I still love the simplicity of those childhood dinners but my tastes have also broadened. I enjoy a whole new realm of flavors, cuisines, and foods that I never ate in my younger years. So I often find myself looking at the fresh, simple recipes for side-dishes to accompany my protein of choice (still sticking to the basic meal outline from growing up).  In this search, I’ve come across several I love, but these two are two of my go-to’s. They never seem to disappoint and are so quick and simple, I keep coming back time and time again! Not to mention, I look forward to making them every summer! :-) So here are two fresh, easy, and satisfyingly delicious corn recipes!

 

Tomato & Corn Salad with Lime-Cilantro Dressing

·         Two ears of fresh corn on the cob

·         Two good-sized handfuls of cherry tomatoes, cut in half (quarters if they’re large)

·         Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

·         Juice of 1 small lime

·         Good drizzle of olive oil

·         Salt & fresh ground pepper

Cook the corn: you can either drop the ears into boiling water for three minutes, remove and cool, or you can roast the corn on the grill until slightly charred and then cool. You can even make this with raw corn (I enjoy it like that), but anyway is good!

Once cooked and cooled, cut the corn off the cob and place in a medium bowl. Add sliced cherry tomatoes, lime juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper to the corn and stir. Add chopped cilantro and gently toss to combine.  Refrigerate until ready to eat. It is best cold.

(Can be easily doubled or tripled! I usually plan on an ear per two people…unless you are in my family, and in that case I figure about an ear per person J . I LOVE it!! I stumbled across this recipe years ago in a magazine, I think Better Homes & Gardens, but honestly I can’t remember for sure)

 

Corn and Basil Salad

·         Two ears of fresh corn on the cob

·         On medium-small red onion finely chopped (depending on how much you like onion…we love it so I do a medium onion, any type will do fine if you don’t have red)

·         3 Tbs. apple cider vinegar

·         Good drizzle of olive oil

·         Small handful of fresh basil, chopped

·         Salt & fresh ground pepper

Bring a pot of water to a boil, drop the ears of corn and cook for three minutes. Remove promptly and cool. When cool enough to handle, cut the corn from the cob. Place in a medium bowl.

Add onion, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper to the corn and mix to combine. Add chopped basil to the salad and gently toss. Refrigerate until ready to eat. Best served cold.

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 I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as Cam and I do! Just a few fresh ingredients, a few minutes and you will be enjoying one of the few simple pleasures of summer!!

Enjoy and let me know what you think!! If you have any other recipes, please share them…I love to try new recipes!