Meredith’s Summer Corn Salad

My wonderful little sister, Meredith, created this summer corn salad recipe years ago. To this day her summer corn salad featuring Vidalia onions is one of my all time favorites.  As many of you may know, I am from Vidalia, a small town in Georgia which is known for its onions. Onions are a big deal down here and we even have a Vidalia Onion Museum!

That's why I am so excited to partner with my home town to share my favorite Summer Corn Salad recipe featuring one of my all-time favorite foods, Vidalia onions.

Summer Corn Salad is so fresh, gluten and dairy-free, and just perfect for hot summer days!  This recipe uses six ears of corn, half of a Vidalia onion,  one cup of quartered cherry tomatoes, 1/4 cup of fresh chopped basil, one tablespoon of minced garlic, 1/8 cup of extra virgin olive oil, and 1/8 cup of white balsamic vinegar.

First things first,  we have a magic corn cooking trick that is going to change your life.  Wrap the whole ear of corn in a damp paper towel and cook it in the microwave for 2 minutes per ear, per side.

For instance, we cooked 3 ears of corn at a time in the microwave so we put them in for 6 minutes, rolled them over, then cooked for another 6 minutes. Twelve minutes in total.

Next, take the corn out of the microwave and cut the end with the stalk off.  Then squeeze the corn out of the husk from the end that has the silks.  It's going to be very hot, so use paper towels or a hot pad to handle the corn but it is important to get the corn out of the husk while it is still steamy.  If you wait too long it won't slide out easily. What you will be left with is a perfectly clean, cooked ear of corn. Boom!

Check out the video for a tutorial.

After you get the corn out of the husks, cut the kernels off of the ear and place them in a large bowl.

Next, cut the cherry tomatoes into quarters.  You will need one cup of the quartered tomatoes for the recipe. Toss them into the bowl with the corn.

Now finely chop 1/2 of a sweet, Vidalia onion.  You will need one cup for the recipe. Toss it into the bowl with the corn and tomatoes.

What makes Vidalia onions perfect for this recipe is that their mild flavor is well suited for them to be served raw.

Vidalia onions are extremely low in pyruvic acid, making them among the mildest onions.  The distinctive Vidalia Onion taste is derived from the combination of weather, water and soil uniquely found within 20 South Georgia counties. Vidalia onions are only available April-August so it's best to utilize these sweet treats while they are in season. Insider tip, we celebrate the first onions harvested with an Onion Festival in April, y'all are always welcome to come down and visit me and Queen Edith during the festival. We would love to meet you! 

Next, chop the basil. Meredith likes to roll several of the leaves in a bundle and she cuts them crossways to form little basil ribbons.  Then add the basil to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients.

Next, add the 1/8 cup olive oil and 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar (preferably white balsamic). Then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Finally, stir it all together.  Serve immediately at room temperature or chill and serve later.

The sweetness of the corn and Vidalia onions mixed with the mild tartness of the white balsamic makes a yummy and fresh combination that just gets better with time as the flavors blend.

This post was sponsored by Vidalia onions, thank you for supporting brands that support Moderately High Maintenance. #OnlyVidalia #VidaliaOnions