August 27, 2013 • Nancy Wolfson-Moche

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This is my 60^th post on this blog(!) and I pose the oft-debated question: when served fresh, on or off the cob, is corn considered a vegetable?

The answer is that botanically speaking, corn is always a grain.  Sometimes it is considered a vegetable when eaten fresh, on (or, like here, shaved off) the cob, while dried corn (corn meal, corn flour, popcorn, polenta, hominy, grits) is always considered a grain.

The growing season is so short in the northeast, that I savor fresh, non-GMO corn throughout the month of August. This salad contains veggies (broccoli, cucumber, celery, scallions), fruit (tomato, lime), herbs (cilantro and dill) and grain (corn), so I’m calling it an “Everything Corn Salad.” Hey, it’s tastier than eating an Everything Bagel for breakfast.

Serves 5-6

INgredients

3 cooked, non-GMO corn-on-the cob (about 3 cups kernels)

1 stalk broccoli, with flowers

1 cup grape tomatoes

1 medium-large cucumber

3 large stalks celery

4 slices fennel

4 scallions

a few sprigs cilantro (about 2 Tablespoons, chopped)

a few sprigs dill (about 2 Tablespoons, chopped)

For the dressing:

1 lime

2 Tablespoons brown rice vinegar

¼ cup EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil)

Process  

I used leftover grilled corn for this salad. You can husk and boil the corn (7 minutes). When it has cooled, remove the kernels from the cob.

You should have about 3 cups of corn kernels. Place them in a medium to large bowl.

Wash the broccoli, tomatoes, cucumber, celery, fennel, scallions, cilantro and dill. Wash each one separately, in a large bowl of cold water. Trim the broccoli and chop it into small bite-size pieces.

Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil, add a pinch of salt, and drop the broccoli pieces into the water; when they rise to the top, remove them with a wire mesh skimmer. Set aside to cool. When it is cool, add it to the corn in the bowl.

Add the grape tomatoes, whole, to the salad.

Cut the cucumber into thick slices and quarter them.

Layer it in the bowl on top of the tomatoes.

Trim the celery and cut it into large chunks, as shown. Place it on top of the cucumbers.

Chop the fennel into small square pieces and add to the salad.

Cut the scallions on the diagonal, from the root up to the greener part, and add to the bowl.

Chop the cilantro and dill, and mix into the salad. Mix all ingredients well.

Squeeze the lime; whisk the lime juice, brown rice vinegar and olive oil together and pour over the salad, mixing it well.

©Nancy Wolfson-Moche 2013