SWEET, SWEET SWEETCORN

Discover fresh and summery ideas for cooking with this staple veg from Melissa Thompson 

Sweetcorn is right up there in my list of favourite vegetables. If I'm busy, I'll happily open a can and eat it directly with a spoon. I love corn on the cob, especially if it's been grilled until golden brown and seasoned with a crack of black pepper. It doesn't even need butter

- I know, sacrilegious.

Right now, it's abundant and at its best. I'm in my element. My recipes, including golden fritters packed with sweet yellow kernels that pop in your mouth with every bite, put this beautiful vegetable front and centre (find the recipe on page 50).

I've also created a quick, simple salad that punches way above its weight, with salty feta bringing out the sweetness of the corn.

And, for something a bit different, try my sweetcorn custard tart guests will be stunned by its use in a dessert.

Charred corn & feta salad

SERVES 4 PREP 15 mins COOK 10 mins EASY V

1 small red onion (about 100g), thinly sliced

400g sweetcorn (or 2-3 corn cobs, kernels stripped off)

drizzle of rapeseed oil (or another neutral oil), for frying

2 tsp butter

20g chives, finely sliced

80g parsley, chopped

200g feta, broken into chunks (ensure vegetarian, if needed)

2 tbsp olive oil 

½ lemon, juiced

 1 Put the onion in a bowl, cover with water and leave for 5 mins. Drain, rinse and set aside on a sheet of kitchen paper to drain.

2 Fry the sweetcorn in a dry frying pan over a medium-high heat for 4 mins, stirring regularly until it starts to colour. Add a drizzle of oil

the kernels are browned all over and a few of the kernels are darker at the edges. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.