Excerpt
Corn and Cherry Tomato Salad with Arugula
Make this quick summer salad when both corn and cherry tomatoes are abundant. Use the sweetest, ripest cherry tomatoes you can find. Cut them in half, even though they're little, so their juices mingle with the corn and peppery arugula. This is a great make-ahead dish for a picnic or light supper. Serve it simply with toasted bread and goat cheese.
SERVES 4 TO 6
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large shallot, diced, about 1/4 cup
Salt and pepper
4 ears corn, shaved, about 4 cups kernels
1/4 cup water
Champagne vinegar
1/2 pint ripe, little cherry tomatoes, cut in half
A large handful of arugula
Heat the oil in a large sauté pan and add the shallots, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of pepper. Sauté over medium heat until the shallots begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the corn and sauté for 1 minute. Add the water, lower the heat, and cover the pan. Simmer until the corn is tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and season with 1 tablespoon of the vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Set aside to cool.
Toss in the cherry tomatoes and arugula just before serving and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and a splash of vinegar, if needed.
VARIATION: Substitute leftover grilled or roasted peppers for the cherry tomatoes. Quickly dice the peppers and don't mind the little flecks of skin -- they add a rustic touch to the salad. In place of the shallot and arugula, use scallions and thinly sliced basil.
Copyright © 2003 by Annie Somerville