Charred Corn and Blueberry Salad

Editors' Note: We're excited to welcome food writer Kelsey Brown to our newest blog, Good Food. Kelsey and her partner Shaun moved cross-country this summer and they can't wait to dig into their new home. She writes and posts videos about her food explorations in a new state on Happyolks.com. Find Kelsey on Facebook and Twitter (@happyolks), and let us know if you try this recipe in the comments below!

Colorado has welcomed us with an abundance of heat. Although I grew up in the foothills of Northern California where summer temperatures hovered around triple digits, it still comes as a surprise that after twenty minutes in the garden early in the morning, my cheeks can go pink so quickly. We knew that San Diego, our former home of the past four years, had made us soft—70 degree averages tend to do that to a person—so we began the work of acclimation with mid-day hikes, bike rides to the market, and cook-outs with new friends. The more we embraced the heat instead of recoiling from it, the more at home and in control of our new lives we would (and did) feel.

Sweat behind our kneecaps, dirty shorts, an abundance of mint, and the smell of charcoal on the back porch have been gifts of a summer enjoyed. Tempered appetites call for cold drinks and easy meals that are light, easy, and fresh. Corn makes rare appearances in my house, save for the fresh stalks from our local farmers. We broke in the grill for this salad of corn, blueberries, and a light tangy dressing. Cheers to hot days spent in fellowship with nature, friends, and family.

Grilled Corn
5 ears organic corn (yellow or white is fine)
olive oil for brushing
dash of salt

Salad
1 1/2 cup blueberries
1/2 cup fresh minced mint and basil
1/4 cup minced shallot
1/4 tsp minced fresh jalapeno (optional)

Dressing
juice of one lemon
1/4 cup olive oil

Brush ears of corn with olive oil and salt. Place on hot grill and turn until lightly charred at each angle. Remove from heat, cool to room temperature.
In a large mixing bowl combine olive oil, lemon juice, shallot, (optional jalapeno) and herbs. Stand up an ear of corn vertically in the bowl of dressing, holding the top portion with your left hand and shucking kernels into the bowl with a knife in the right hand. Remove all kernels from ear and repeat until all corn is removed. Toss with the dressing at the bottom of the bowl and add fresh blueberries last. Add a bit more lemon, salt, and oil to taste. Serve at room temperature. Serves 4