When my sister-in-law, Annette, told me about this summer salad, I turned my nose up at it. But she didn’t warn me how truly amazing it was and that I would be spending a good deal of my summer shucking and shaving corn. If you must, you can use frozen or canned corn, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

Yield: about 5 to 6 cups; serves 4 to 6.

FOR THE SALAD
2 cups fresh corn kernels
1 15.5-ounce can red kidney or black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup chopped seeded plum tomatoes
¼ cup chopped red onion
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves

FOR THE DRESSING
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 large garlic cloves, crushed or minced
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
½ to 1 teaspoon kosher salt

1. To make the salad: place all the ingredients in a medium-size bowl, and toss to mix.

2. To make the dressing: Place all the ingredients in a small bowl and whisk well.

3. Add the dressing to the corn mixture, cover, and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to overnight. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

From Warehouse to Your House: More than 250 Simple, Spectacular Recipes to Cook, Store, and Share When You Buy in Quantity (Simon & Schuster, 2006)