Amagansett Corn Salad

Author Notes

Every summer I seem to come across the best of the season's corn out on the East end of Long Island. Rather than do anything to mar the flavor of the sweet, sweet corn, I make this absurdly easy, very delicious raw corn salad. Truth be told, I wing it with this "recipe" every time -- the ingredients and quantities shift slightly based on what's handy -- but the below gives you an approximate idea of the flavors and process.

UPDATE: I just remembered one of my favorite additions to this very flexible recipe... bacon! Or even better, transform it from a light side dish to a hearty entree with grilled and sliced chorizo or italian sausage. —Peter

Test Kitchen Notes

This corn salad epitomizes the freshness of summer. Sweet raw corn kernels and their milk mix with the bright acid of tomatoes and the kick of red onion; a hint of balsamic vinegar adds a caramel tang. The flavors mellow and meld as the salad sits for a bit. Peter says they're optional, but we added both the basil and sugar snaps, blanching the latter briefly in salted boiling water and removing the strings before cutting them in thirds. We upped the balsamic vinegar to 4 tablespoons because we'd added another quart of veggies -- you can simply add it to taste. - A&M —The Editors