Chasing the Flavors of August

I spend my life chasing things. I chase meals, a career, cats, people, good books, and cute shoes. The things I really covet always seem just out of reach, especially when I chase things that live in my memory.

At a dinner party a few years ago my friend K threw together a salad that captured the flavors of August: juicy sweet tomatoes sliced thick and still warm from the sun, raw corn sliced off the cob, the racy crunch of onions, slightly hot chili peppers, bits of sharp cilantro, and a hint of tomato in the dressing. I've asked K if she recalls that salad, but she admits it was one of those things that just fell together after a trip to the farmers market.

All these years later I am still trying to recreate that dish. As soon as the corn comes in I'm slicing and dicing and tossing but I've yet to catch that salad, although this Corn Tomato Salad comes close. To dress it I used the Honey Lemon Tarragon Vinaigrette that I entered in the Fair. (During the State Fair I chase ribbons.)

Corn Tomato Salad with Honey Lemon Tarragon Vinaigrette
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 cob corn, corn removed from cob
1 red onion, chopped
3 radishes, diced
2 chili peppers, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
Handful cilantro, chopped

Mix ingredients and toss in a bit of vinaigrette (below).

For the vinaigrette:

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
3 tablespoons clover honey

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon salt

Pepper to taste

1/2 to 3/4 cup olive oil

2 ½ inch sprig tarragon, minced

Whisk lemon juice, honey, vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper together in small mixing bowl. Continue whisking while slowly adding olive oil. Add tarragon before serving.