Corn Chowder Salad

This salad was a much bigger hit than I’d expected, from my husband “Bacon? corn? My new favorite!” before even trying it, to my son “This is the best salad you’ve ever made, mom,” to the babysitter and her daughter both. One note about the corn: My mega New York ears of corn yielded way more than I think was intended. The Beekman Boys created this salad as way to show off the five varieties of corn they grow (Silver Queen! Country Gentlemen!), all which sound smaller (7 to 8 inches) than what I had. Even with less corn, as I suggest below, do keep in mind that this salad is (deliciously) mostly corn and just a little potato. If you’d like to forego the bacon to make this vegetarian and vegan, you could start the recipe by frying the potatoes in 3 tablespoons of another fat. Finally, as I have a chive plant growing wild outside, I finished this with a handful.



Serves 8 as a side

4 thick slices of bacon (4 ounces), cut crosswise 1/2 inch thick
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch dice, although I made mine smaller
6 large or 8 medium ears of corn, kernels removed (I used 8 large and it was a massive salad)
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cider vinegar
Salt and crushed red pepper to taste

Cook bacon: In a large frying pan, cook the bacon over moderately low heat, stirring a few times, until it is crisp, about 5 to 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to paper towels and let drain.

Fry potatoes, peppers and corn: Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat in the skillet. Add the potatoes and cook over moderately high heat until they start to brown, about about 3 to 6 minutes. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes longer, until almost tender; they’ll finish cooking with the other vegetables. Add the diced red peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes and peppers are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the corn kernels and cook, stirring, until heated through but still crisp, about 3 minutes.

Assemble and serve: Transfer the vegetables to a large bowl and stir in the onion, cider vinegar and bacon. Season with red pepper and salt to taste. Serve warm, or at room temperature.