Sometimes the simplest salads are the best. Sweetcorn is combined with fresh green beans and sun-ripened tomatoes in this salad that can be enjoyed on its own or as part of a larger BBQ or vegetarian feast.
Seasonal eating
When it comes to enjoying fresh produce there is one season (or more accurately a change of season) which I love the most. As long, hot summer days become bright crisp autumn ones some of my favourite fruits and veggies are in abundance. I'm talking about the end of August to the beginning of October in the UK when we have fruits like plum, quince, damsons, blackberries and apples all in abundance. But its some of the "end of summer" vegetables that I love the most.
Sweetcorn is one of those vegetables that I get super excited about as soon as it hits the supermarket shelves. Even better if it appears in the veg box we get from our local farm. The weeks where sweet corn is available seem to be few and far between so when it is available I have to make the most of it.
Keep it simple
One of my favourite ways to enjoy sweetcorn is boiled (briefly!) then slathered in butter which melts between the kernels and leaves me with slightly greasy, sticky fingers! Because sweetcorn tastes so good eaten by itself it would be easy to decide not to try it in other ways.
Whilst I've added tinned corn to salads in the past, I hadn't considered enjoying fresh corn in this way until a trip to America earlier this year. When my friend put a huge bowl of corn, green beans and tomatoes in front of me I fell in love. It was fresh, vibrant and quite simply tasted of summer. I've been recreating this salad ever since.
To really bring the sweetcorn, green beans and tomatoes to life I drizzle them with a little olive oil, lemon juice and liberally season with salt and pepper. Some finely diced shallot also adds some depth of flavour to what is otherwise a very light and bright salad.
The recipe
This salad stores well so why not make a big batch and keep in the fridge (for up to 3 days).
Sweetcorn, Green Bean and Tomato Salad
Ingredients
- 2 ears sweetcorn also known as corn on the cob
- 200 grams green beans
- 300 grams cherry tomatoes halved
- 2 shallots finely diced
- 1 lemon juice only
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Prepare the sweetcorn by removing any leaves and the silky threads that cling to the cob. Cut off the ends of the cob and give it a rinse under cold water.
- Bring a pan of water to the boil and add in the sweetcorn and green beans.
- Let the sweetcorn and green beans cook for 3-5 minutes or until the vegetables are crisp and tender.
- Remove from the heat and immediately plunge into ice water to chill.
- Using a sharp knife, run the blade from top to bottom to remove the kernels from the cob.
- Cut the green beans into bite sized pieces and add to a bowl along with the sweetcorn kernels, cherry tomatoes and shallots.
- Drizzle over a little olive oil, the lemon juice and season liberally.
- Toss the salad well and leave to sit for at least 30 minutes before serving, to let the lemon juice mute the strong flavour of the shallots.
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