New favorite summer salad

I tend to get hooked on specific salad combinations. Right now, it’s a tremendously simple one.

The best thing about it is there’s no need to buy a dressing or mix your own–this combo only requires a few squirts of fresh lemon and a drizzle of good quality olive oil. There are endless possibilities as far as variations go, but I expect I’ll be stuck on this original version for a while. The approximate 2:1 ratio of arugula and basil creates such a pungent and compelling bed for the sweet corn and meaty beans. And this is the time of year to chow down on that basil! (If only my basil plants weren’t so wimpy…)

Ingredients (for 1 huge salad or 2 small)

2 cups arugula

1 cup loosely packed fresh basil, torn into pieces (more or less to taste).

2 cobs of corn, shucked (frozen or canned will suffice in a pinch)

1 can black beans, rinsed (to remove the excess sodium)

salt to taste

1 -2 tsp olive oil

lemon juice to taste

Method

Steam or microwave your corn. I like a firmer kernel, but do whatever you prefer. Cut the kernels off the cob and place in a large bowl.

Add the arugula, basil, and black beans to the bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, squeeze in the lemon and top with salt. Toss and enjoy!

A few snapshots of recently harvested delectables from the garden: