Leftovers: Delectable summer salad is corny in a good way

Summer is coming even if the weather hasn’t gotten the memo yet. It’s a season synonymous with luscious corn on the cob, sun-ripened tomatoes and fragrant herbs all picked fresh from the garden.

Or, if you’re like me, it’s a season synonymous with all of those things purchased directly from the grocery store. Although I am not much of a gardener, I do appreciate eating from nature’s bounty, especially when it is mixed into a delectable summer salad like the one I’m about to share with you.

This summer corn salad hardly qualifies as a leftovers recipe because it’s so good that I will often go to the store and buy all the ingredients for the sole purpose of making it. But there have been occasions when I have had corn on the cob left over after a family meal (teenagers with braces and a 5-year-old who runs off to play on the swing set, I’m looking at you).

When that happens, there’s no more mouthwatering way to use it up than in this salad. Summer corn salad is a triple threat: Not only is it quick to prepare, but it also is healthy and knock-your-socks-off delicious.

In fact, although I’m a dessert person through and through, any time I’m invited to a summer potluck (not looking likely this year), I will gladly forgo bringing a treat and instead mix up a big batch of summer corn salad. People ask me for the recipe every single time I make it, and if I’m lucky, there will be a little left over for me to take home and enjoy the next day.

Fresh ingredients are the key here. Fresh basil, green onions and juicy tomatoes are the perfect complement to the crisp, cut-from-the-cob kernels that make up the bulk of the salad. And once you add the vinegar, kosher salt, garlic and feta cheese, it’s a flavor combination that will make you consider selling your first born so you can have just one more bite.

The flavors are simple enough that they pair nicely with any meal, so it’s perfect as a side dish or even a light lunch or dinner all by itself. If you must, you can use frozen (thawed) or canned corn and even dried basil, but the flavors and crispness will not be as intense.

And feel free to sub in chopped tomatoes in place of grape tomatoes and any type of chopped onion in place of the sliced green onion. The flavor and texture of the salad will change based on substitutions you make, but even with my various swapping of ingredients over the years, I have never found this salad to be anything less than amazing.

Maybe if we all band together and make this salad, the weather will finally understand that it needs to up its summer game. Summer corn salad just doesn’t taste the same eaten in front of a fireplace.

Summer Corn Salad

Adapted from “400 Calories or Less With Our Best Bites.”

4 ears corn, cooked and cooled

10 ounces grape tomatoes (about 2 cups)

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

2 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Use a sharp knife to remove corn kernels from cobs and place the corn in a mixing bowl. Cut the tomatoes in half and add them to the bowl, then add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl.

Gently toss to coat. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, but for the best results, chill 4-6 hours. Makes 6 servings.