Corn Salsa

Fresh corn pretty much nails it on all of my sensual fronts. Taste? Sweet and light. Texture? First the pop of the kernel, then the creaminess inside. Smell? Earthy and ethereal all at the same time. Sight? That beautiful yellow, the shine on the kernels, the juice oozing out. The sound might be a stretch, but I guess you could listen to the scrunching as you bite into the cob, or the popping of the kernels when you chomp down.

And don't forget to use those stripped cobs, yes, even the whole ones that have been served to your family, to make a corn stock to make soups and risottos. Throwing them into the compost without first boiling off the juices is now, for me, akin to throwing out a fish carcass without roasting it for the meat left on the bones. And while it's terrific fresh, I've always got a few bags of frozen kernels stashed away in the freezer from this most fleeting of summer pleasures.

The following recipe for corn salsa is almost a salad by itself, but is also great with tacos and Mexican-inflected dishes. I think it would be fabulous with grilled fish, too.

Corn Salsa

2 ears of corn, kernels removed
1/4 red onion, chopped fine
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped fine
1 small avocado, ripe but still firm, diced
1 serrano chile, seeded and membranes removed, minced
2 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped fine
Juice of 1/2 lime
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Salt to taste

Place ingredients in medium mixing bowl and gently combine.