Ingredients
Scale
- 1 garlic clove, peeled
- Kosher salt
- Juice and zest of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon local honey
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
- fresh ground pepper
- 3 small cucumbers
- 4 ears corn
- 4 heirloom tomatoes
- petals of 2 small to medium sunflowers
- 2 bunches Genovese basil, leaves picked from stems and stems discarded
- 1 bunch purple basil, leaves picked from stems and stems discarded
Instructions
- With a mortar and pestle, grind the garlic clove with a pinch of salt. Add the lemon juice and zest, Dijon mustard, honey, and red wine vinegar. Mash the ingredients together with the pestle until incorporated. Drizzle in 1⁄4 cup of the olive oil, give it a couple of swirls with the pestle, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Let sit for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.
- With a vegetable peeler, peel every other strip of cucumber skin lengthwise, creating stripes. This allows the vegetable to retain a little color without overwhelming the salad with the bitterness of the peel. Slice the cucumbers in half lengthwise and remove the seeds if they are large. Place each half flat side down on the cutting board. Cut the cucumbers into 1⁄4-inch strips lengthwise, then turn them 90 degrees and slice them every 1⁄4 inch. The resulting pieces should be 1/4-inch cubes. Place them in a medium bowl and toss with a small amount of the vinaigrette to make a quick pickle.
- Husk the corn. With a sharp serrated knife, cut the kernels off the cobs. Heat a large cast- iron skillet over high heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, the corn kernels, and a pinch of salt. Quickly stir to incorporate and then sauté the corn cook until golden brown on one side, about 4 minutes. Give the corn a stir and sauté for another 3 to 4 minutes, or until the kernels begin to gain color on the other side. Remove to a plate or platter and allow to cool.
- Just before serving, slice the tomatoes into thick wedges, 8 to 10 wedges per tomato. In a salad bowl, gently toss tomatoes with the cucumbers, corn, and a few spoonfuls of dressing. Garnish with sunflower petals and whole basil leaves. Top with sea salt and more dressing if desired.
Notes
From Full Moon Suppers by Annemarie Ahearn, ©2017 by Annemarie Ahearn. Photographs by Kristin Teig. Reprinted by arrangement with Roost Books, an imprint of Shambhala Publications, Inc. Boulder, CO. www.roostbooks.com