Saute Corn with Bacon Vinaigrette

When people ask me what my favorite cuisine/dish/vegetable/fruit is, I can never give a straightforward answer. Perhaps it makes me sound indecisive when I start going on about my mood and the seasons, but asking someone who's life's passion is food, to pick just one is a bit like asking a parent which of their children they like the best.

That said, corn definitely falls towards the top of my list of favorite vegetables, and every year around this time, it's on my table almost daily, usually just boiled with a little cultured butter. But like most things, too much of a good thing gets old, which is why I decided to pair it with another one of my favorite foods: bacon!

This is as simple as caramelizing some shallots in rendered bacon fat and then sautéing the corn in it. Hitting the hot pan with a bit of apple cider vinegar at the end creates a warm vinaigrette that coats each kernel of corn with the smoky flavor of the bacon and provides just enough acidity to keep it from getting too heavy. A little nutmeg and basil added at the end broadens the palette keeping this warm salad interesting to the last bite.

One of the best things about sautéing fresh corn is that unlike boiled corn, you don't lose any flavor into the water. Also, the high temperature achieves a bit of caramelization, further sweetening the corn while retaining its fresh crisp texture.