This is simplicity itself, a delightful combination of flavors that needs neither oil nor seasoning other than salt and pepper. It is improved if the red pepper is slightly cooked, as in the variation.

Per person

Cut the corn kernels off the cob. Steam, boil, or pan-steam the kernels a few minutes until they become delicious, having lost their raw taste.

Cut red pepper in ¼ inch pieces. Mix with the cooked corn in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Seasoning may be light, or quite heavy as for corn on the cob.

Variation

To cook pepper slightly, place a little water in a covered sauté pan. Bring to simmer and add ¼ inch red pepper pieces. Simmer covered 1 minute or somewhat longer, just enough so that the pepper no longer tastes raw. Pour off most of the liquid. Let the cooked pepper cool and steep several minutes in the reduced juices. Mix the red pepper moistened with its juices into the corn. Season with salt and pepper.

Add some cooked green beans, and/or sweet onions.

Roasted red pepper also works well here.

Corn and black beans make a nice combination. 

This salad was devised by Berkeley home cook Brandon Luce, mainly as an excuse for eating corn.

He uses the Anaheim chile, a mild sweet green pepper that has become common in Northern California specialty markets, and hopefully in supermarkets eventually. This sweet chile may be used generally in place of green bell peppers, for a more interesting flavor.

This makes a nice relish when you have a little leftover corn on the cob. The cilantro or cumin provides a Mexican flavor. The salad is best when made in advance.

Per person

Cut the corn kernels off the cob. Steam, boil, or pan-steam the kernels a few minutes until they become delicious, having lost their raw taste.

Cut the chile peppers in half. Remove seeds and stems. Steam or pan-steam a few minutes until tender. Cut in bite-sized pieces.

Toss cooked corn, chile and oil in the bowl. Season to taste with cilantro, salt, pepper, and balsamic vinegar. .

Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Serve cold or room temperature.

Variations

Add slivers of sweet red onions, and/or lemon juice.

For color, add a few slivers of sweet red bell pepper, roasted, boiled, or pan-steamed.

Add chopped plum tomatoes, perhaps with basil.

Brandon sometimes mixes basil with the cilantro for a Thai flavor. He may also use raw corn instead of cooked.

Instead of pan-steaming peppers, sauté them with onions in a little olive oil a few minutes until tender.

Shred some lettuce (chiffonade) and stir in.

Anaheim chiles may be roasted in the toaster oven, as described for red peppers. They shrink and get very concentrated in flavor. Consequently, in the quantity given, they would not have much presence in the salad.

Here substantial additional vegetables are included. Instead of spices in the salad itself, a spicy dressing is used.

Serves 4

Cut the corn off the cob. Steam, boil, or pan-steam the kernels a few minutes until they become delicious, having lost their raw taste. Lift out of water.

In the same water blanch peppers a minute or two.

In the bowl mix corn, peppers, onion, tomatoes.

Stir in spicy vinaigrette with optional cilantro. Serve over lettuce.

Variations

Stir into the dressing some minced red sweet onions, or garlic.

Mix red and yellow peppers for color.

Instead of stirring in the vinaigrette, serve it separately.

For a one-dish meal, add cooked black beans and chicken.

Use any spicy dressing, or sweet-pungent dressing, such as Nina’s Ravigote Sauce (see Sauce Section).