Corn & Heirloom Tomato Salad with Honey-Herb Vinaigrette

MORNING GLORY FARM, EDGARTOWN

Sorry, Christmas, Morning Glory Farm’s sweet corn harvest is the most wonderful time of the year. The harvest generally starts in mid- to-late July and continues bestowing us with corn, glorious corn, through mid-October. Each ear is hand-selected at peak ripeness and you can still feel the warmth of the sun on just-picked corn at the MoGlo farmstand. That is, if there are any left (it can be a bit of a blood sport to secure the prized crop). The sentiment echoed among shoppers is that there’s nothing else like it, even on the mainland. There is island pride in its provenance.

This simple, colorful salad, from Morning Glory Farm’s executive chef, Augustus Paquet-Whall, highlights two of the stars of summer: corn and tomatoes (the third is strawberries). His philosophy in the kitchen is to be intentional with ingredients—and with corn this good, there’s no need to overcomplicate things. Raw sweet corn is not only safe to eat but packed with nutrients and pure corn flavor. Serve alongside grilled meat or seafood, or enjoy a big bowl all on its own.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

The Martha’s Vineyard Cookbook Julia Blanter

Vinaigrette

• 1 small shallot,finely chopped

• ¼ cup sherry vinegar

• 3 tablespoons honey, such as Island Bee Company or Black Brook

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, such as Uncle Neil’s

• ¾ cup plus 2 tablespoons light olive oil

• ½ cup roughly chopped leafy green herbs, such as basil, flat-leaf parsley, tarragon, dill, and/or mint

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad

• 6 ears corn, shucked

• 2 large, ripe heirloom tomatoes, chopped

• 4 ounces feta, such as Mermaid Farm

DIRECTIONS

Make the vinaigrette: In a medium bowl, combine the shallot with the sherry vinegar. Let sit for 10 minutes to soften the sharpness of the shallot. Whisk in the honey and mustard until incorporated. Add the oil in a thin stream, whisking constantly, until emulsified. Stir in the herbs and season with salt and pepper.

Make the salad: Cut the corn off the cob into a large bowl. Use the back of a knife to scrape the corn milk from the cob. Add the tomatoes, then crumble the feta on top.

Toss the salad with vinaigrette. Taste and adjust seasoning. Enjoy at room temperature or chilled.

Reprinted with permission from The Martha’s Vineyard Cookbook by Julia Blanter, Rizzoli New York. Photo © Jocelyn Finely.

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