Corn and Cucumber Salad

This is a popular summer side dish that pairs nicely with grilled foods and is a wonderful alternative to coleslaw and potato salad. It has a mild flavor, plenty of crunches, and a touch of character from a buttermilk dill dressing!

Every summer, there must be that first delicious ear of corn. It’s sweet but not heavy, and the kernels essentially jump off the cob into your mouth.

This salad is quite easy, and I adore it. The corn is sweet, the buttermilk dill dressing is creamy, and the cucumbers are crunchy. I was unable to stop eating the red onion due to its delicious crunch. It is among the most refreshing salads ever created.

Ingredients

• Two to three cooked ears of corn, either white or yellow
• About 3 cups of chopped cucumber from an English cucumber, skinned and seeded
• One-fourth of a tiny red onion is cut very thinly.

Dressing

• Mayonnaise, about a third of a cup’s worth
• Buttermilk, 1 Tablespoon
• A tablespoon of fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 t dill
• Season with salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Remove corn kernels with a knife and place them in a mixing bowl.
2. Add the onions and cucumber, dividing the onion strands as you add them.
3. Get a taste of the dressing and tweak it as needed.
4. After tossing the salad with a large amount of salt and pepper, season it to taste.
5. Before serving, refrigerate for 1 hour.

How to prepare corn for salads?

You’ll be shocked at how beautifully and speedily this microwave method cooks corn. There’s no water to boil or a hefty kettle to carry.

• Don’t shuck corn.
• Wrap 1-2 ears of corn in moist paper towels.
• Four-minute microwave. My 1000-watt microwave features a turntable.
• Remove hot corn carefully. Peel the husks when cool. Husks and silk will fall off.
• Slice off from the kernels as needed.

Effective cucumber peeling for salads

Is peeling necessary for the cucumber, a common salad ingredient?

• Cucumber peel is bitter and rough.
• I like long, skinny English cucumbers that are shrink-wrapped. Fewer seeds and thinner peel.
• English cucumbers can be left unpeeled or peeled.
• My personal approach is to partially peel my cucumbers so you get some color and texture without the cons.
• Peel it in alternating strips or lightly, as I did for today’s salad.

Try the corn and cucumber salad on your own

I was going to grill or char my corn, which would give the salad a lovely smoky flavor, but I decided against it. You may grill it, microwave it and char it over a gas flame, or broil it.

If you don’t have buttermilk, replace sour cream or yogurt. Instead of dill, you may try using fresh basil or thyme.