Really Yummy Veggies

Once again, desperation is the mother of invention. As I started preparing dinner, I realized that I didn’t have a necessary ingredient for what I had planned. (My excuse: it was the first day of kindergarten for our son, Peter, and . . . well . . . I wasn’t the most organized today. I’m human.) Because the main dish was going to be very different – still chicken, but other than that, not at all the same – the vegetable side dish was going to need to be different.

So what was I going to do with some corn on the cob and a cucumber? Of course, I also had some scallions in the refrigerator, peas in the freezer* and basil in the garden. What if I created a cold vegetable medley? I figured this desperation salad would taste okay. But I was wrong: it tasted great! So good that after she ate her first bite, Kathleen said, “You’ve got to put this recipe on your blog!” Kathleen liked this so much, she suggested the name.

So here it is. Enjoy!

*Peas are one vegetable I always keep in the freezer. They are picked at the peak of ripeness and quickly frozen, preserving their sweet flavor. The only way to get that same quality with fresh peas is to eat them within hours of harvest in the midst of the short pea season. Frozen peas means you can eat them year round.

Serves 4

3 ears of corn
2 cups of frozen peas
1 cucumber , peeled, seeds removed, and chopped the same size as the tomatoes – (about 1 ½ cups)
3 scallions, finely chopped
3 tablespoons, fresh basil, cut into thin, ribbon-like strips
Salt and pepper to taste

Shuck the corn, then rub with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Grill the corn on all sides until there are slight brownish black grill marks (about 6-10 minutes total). Remove corn from grill and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, cook the peas according to package directions. When done, rinse in cold water. Combine the peas, cucumber, scallion, and 2 tablespoons of the basil into a bowl. When the corn is cool enough to touch, remove the kernels from the cobs with a sharp knife. Add the corn to the bowl with the other vegetables. Add salt and pepper to taste. (Yes, that means be sure to taste it. You may need to add more basil, salt and or pepper, which is why you should hold back from adding all the basil at the beginning).

Serve at room temperature.