Corn & Cucumber Salad with Fresh Blueberries ♥

Corn & Cucumber Salad with Fresh Blueberries
Today's summer salad recipe: An intriguing blend of corn (for sweetness), cucumber (for bulk) and blueberries (for tart) in a vinaigrette spiked with a little cumin, which adds just the right amount of underlying smokiness. Not just vegan, "Vegan Done Real".

What a difference a single ingredient can make! I made this salad a few weeks back, making what I thought was a "safe substitute": inexpensive blackberries for expensive blueberries. The texture was right, the size was right, the color was right but with blackberries? The salad underwhelms.

Then, laden with more blackberries and peaches than was prudent for someone leaving on vacation in a few days, I was chatting up a woman in the pay-up line out at Wind Ridge Farm not far outside St. Louis. She'd arrived early and clutched several quarts of blueberries. Masking my blueberry-envy, I asked her plans for them. First, she said, she'd make her favorite corn and blueberry salad, then ticked off all the ingredients you see here.

So I tried again, even if dubious corn and blueberries would be any more magical than corn and blackberries. They are, they really are.

OH. And for anyone else smitten with the cumin and fruit combination, here are three other recipes where the pair have really worked, Mâche with Orange Cumin Dressing, Broiled Grapefruit and Mexican Fruit Salad.

RECIPE for CORN & CUCUMBER SALAD with FRESH BLUEBERRIES

Hands-on time: 40 minutes
Time to table: 24 hours
Makes 6 cups

CORN
6 ears fresh sweet corn, husked

DRESSING
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon agave (or honey if vegan isn't important)
2 tablespoons lime juice
1 teaspoon ground cumin (don't skip or skimp here)
Salt & pepper to taste

SALAD
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 minced tablespoon jalapeño
1 cup fresh blueberries

CORN Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Shuck the corn and rinse the ears under running water. Drop into boiling water and cook, covered, for about 5 minutes. Lift ears from water and let cool a bit. Using a sharp knife, cut the kernels off the cob in wide swaths.

DRESSING Whisk together dressing ingredients in a large bowl.

SALAD Turn cooked corn and all salad ingredients EXCEPT the blueberries into the dressing. Add blueberries and stir gently so not to bruise the berries.

REFRIGERATE Cover and refrigerate for about 24 hours for the flavors to meld.

ALANNA's TIPS & KITCHEN NOTES
Much to my surprise, this salad held really well for several days without getting the least bit mushy.
For sheer color contrast, choose all bright-yellow corn rather than pale yellow or a white-yellow mix.


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Alanna Kellogg
Alanna Kellogg

A Veggie Venture is home of "veggie evangelist" Alanna Kellogg and the famous asparagus-to-zucchini Alphabet of Vegetables.

Comments

  1. Somethings you just know: I just know blueberries and corn are magical together. Have to make this salad!

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  2. I never thought of blueberries and corn together. Sounds strange. But I'm willing to give them a try!

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  3. I have a bone to pick with the powers that control Nature. You know that tomatoes and basil are awesome together, and crazily enough they are at their peak at the same time.

    But corn and blueberries? Unless it's really early corn and really late blueberries, the window of having fresh blueberries with fresh corn must be very narrow. All my blueberries are now in bags in the freezer, and the corn is just coming on strong. I suppose I could try this next June with fresh blueberries and frozen corn? But could I get a cucumber in June . . . . ah the difficulties!

    It does look intriguing.

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  4. Thank you - this was a delicious combo that I've never tried before! I didn't have cilantro on hand, but I used baby spinach and will certainly try cilantro next time.

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Thank you for taking a moment to write! I read each and every comment, for each and every recipe, whether a current recipe or a long-ago favorite. If you have a specific question, it's nearly always answered quick-quick. ~ Alanna