@Commons Cooks: Seasonal Summer Corn and Tomato Dishes

Summer is at its best and brightest right now with delightfully mild temperatures and an abundant summer harvest offering fresh seasonal veggies. New Englanders everywhere rejoice as corn and tomatoes sprout up around farmer’s markets and grocery stores, ripe and ready for a Labor Day BBQ or an easy family dinner.

Break from tradition and go lettuce-free with salad recipes that celebrate these crowned jewels of summer. Please your palate with a savory corn salad or indulge in a flavorful Greek inspired tomato salad. As a bonus, these salads are healthy too. Tomatoes are full of fiber and aid in regulating blood pressure while corn is antioxidant rich and helps to stabilize blood sugar-- a-maize-ing! For the perfect complement to any summer meal, we have also added in a bonus recipe link to delicious chilled corn soups to cool off with.

As always, don’t forget to check out the Grocery Guru section, listed below, for nearby grocery stores and farmer’s markets selling fresh summer veggies in your area!

(Image via foodnetwork.com)

Summer Corn Salad

Prep time: 5 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

·         5 Ears of Corn (boiled, grilled, or oven roasted)

·         3 tablespoons Olive Oil

·         1 Tomato (seeded and diced)

·         1 Red Onion (chopped)

·         1 Green Bell Pepper (diced)

·         Juice of 1 Lime

·         Salt and Pepper

·         Fresh Cilantro, to taste

Directions

1.     Use a knife to remove corn kernels from the cob.

2.     Transfer to large bowl.

3.     Add tomato, red onion, bell pepper. Toss to combine.

4.     Add olive oil and lime juice.

5.     Season with salt and pepper and garnish with cilantro just before serving.

This dish is great to serve at a summer cookout or as a vibrant side dish any time of year. Feel free to swap out cilantro for the milder flavor of parsley.

(Image via foodnetwork.com)

Tomato, Onion, and Cucumber Salad

Prep time: 5 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

·         5 Medium-sized Plum Tomatoes (halved lengthwise, seeded, thinly sliced)

·         1/4 Red Onion (peeled, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced)

·         1 Kirby Cucumber (halved lengthwise, thinly sliced)

·         2 tablespoons or more Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

·         2 Splashes Red Wine Vinegar

·         Coarse Salt and Pepper

Directions

1.       Combine tomatoes, red onion, and cucumber together in a bowl.

2.      Generously drizzle with olive oil and red wine vinegar.

3.       Season to taste with salt and pepper.

4.      Let stand for 20 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld together.

This salad provides a great base for adding in extra ingredients, such as feta cheese or olives for a decidedly Greek spin.

* Recipe credit: FoodNetwork.com

(Image via bostonglobe.com)

Chilled Corn Soups

Hearty soups are great for satiating hunger but not so great for keeping a cool kitchen in the summer months. Thanks to this past Sunday’s Boston Globe Magazine, here are a variety of chilled corn soups that offer cozy comfort on the hottest of days. Check out the recipes here:

http://www.bostonglobe.com/magazine/2014/08/23/recipes-for-chilled-corn-soups/UgkeLBsNOCUXiaV5cyjHQO/story.html

Grocery Guru Advice

Supermarkets: Save-A-Lot, 1110 Revere Beach Pkwy, Chelsea.  Market Basket, 170 Everett Ave., Chelsea.

Local Farm: East Boston Farmer’s Market, 209 Sumner St, Boston (Thursday afternoons).