Amy Finch loves cooking seasonal creations. Because she’s surrounded by corn country, the former Lily’s Bistro chef made sure it had a prominent place on her menu, including in a salad featuring a number of Ohio’s best veggies. “With those fresh herbs straight from the garden, it just brightens everything up,” she says. “It brings out all those nice summertime flavors that we all know and love.” 

Corn Salad with Summer Herb Vinaigrette | Makes 4-6 servings
Recipe courtesy of Lily’s Bistro

INGREDIENTS
4 ears sweet corn, cooked
1 medium slicing cucumber
2 large tomatoes
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
Herb vinaigrette (recipe below)

DIRECTIONS
Shave the kernels from the ears of corn into a large mixing bowl. Dice the cucumber and tomatoes into bite-size chunks. Toss the mixture in vinegar and sugar and let sit for 1 to 2 hours in the refrigerator. Remove the salad from the bowl using a slotted spoon. Discard liquid. In another bowl, toss the corn salad with the herb vinaigrette dressing to taste. Serve cold as a side dish to grilled chicken, fish or burgers alongside a crusty bread. 

Summer Herb Vinaigrette

INGREDIENTS
2 cups mixed herbs (basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, parsley)
1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon honey
Sugar to taste
Salt and pepper to taste 

DIRECTIONS 
Puree onion, garlic and a little bit of the oil in a food processor or blender until smooth and no chunks remain. Add honey, vinegar and herbs, and puree again. Add the remaining oil slowly, with the food processor or blender running. Add salt, pepper and sugar to taste. Makes 1 1/2 cups.